


The Other Side Looks The GD Same

by ConfusedUnit



Series: The Other Side [1]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: (Maybe a little bit of betrayal but not The Major Betrayal), (but I forgot to remove it after I moved it up to M), (this used to say 'rating may change'), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Friends to Lovers to Thinking The Other Is Dead to Friends to Lovers, Gabriel isn't Evil, Jack isn't Evil either, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Tags Are Hard, background anahardt, no betrayal, past harmacist
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-07
Updated: 2018-09-24
Packaged: 2018-11-28 22:54:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 35,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11427945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ConfusedUnit/pseuds/ConfusedUnit
Summary: When everything falls apart around him, Gabriel is left broken, buried, and alone. With no one left to stand for, and everything taken away from him, he decides on the only thing he can: Revenge.Joining up with Talon seems like an easy solution: get all that he needs, then tear them to shreds from the inside - be a double agent.But someone else is killing the people on his private revenge list, and he wants to know why a vigilante called '76' is after the same people he is.





	1. Prologue

Gabriel isn't a fool.

He knows what the future holds for him, during the crisis. If he manages to survive, and that's a big if, they will disband his team. If they're lucky, they won't be charged for war crimes in the years after. But there's a part of him that considers an alternative. That allows him to imagine a future where they are still needed. where they're kept around. And if that were to be the case...he knows he wouldn't be left in charge. His methods are 'unconventional', 'overly dangerous', calculated risks that look unhinged. That isn't someone that those who decide will want in charge. Besides, they'd know that he knows. That he's aware of what they'll want. Not someone like him, who's aware. Someone who's clueless, who can be their puppet.

He prepares for the eventuality. It's what he does, preparing others to take his place if he falls, planning attacks based on if they fail or succeed multiple raids in advance. His entire existence is already an uncertainty, every day could be his last, and so he does the only thing he can. He prepares.

-

He knew he would get close to his team. It was borderline impossible not to, given the whole 'we have to trust each other or we're all going to die and the omnics will take over the world because we fucked up' thing. But he still wasn't quite prepared for their ragtag group to become a family. (Later on down the line, he'd curse himself for not being genre savvy enough to see it coming.)

Reinhardt was a surprise. A man built like a tank, yet the most gentle out of all of them. To say he took a bit to get used to was an understatement. But once he had found his place in the team, he was there to stay, despite all the threats Gabriel kept giving him every time the crusader threw himself into danger unnecessarily.

Ana was easier to deal with. She fit in immediately, wasn't afraid to call out Gabriel for his stupidity, (or his hypocrisy, which he wasn't so happy about), and quickly, (though she'd forever insist it was against her will), found herself fond of the group of misfits the world called the Strike Team.

Torbjörn was...difficult. He refused to get to know anyone, was hostile whenever he wasn't allowed on the field, and threatened to fight anyone who tried to get close. It had taken an actual sparring match, and a dislocated shoulder on Gabriel's part, before the other man had finally given up resisting. They were all aware of the guilt he felt. They did their best to help him stay afloat.

Gerard was trouble, and Gabriel had known right off the bat. Cocky, arrogant, and a smooth talker, he was taken to almost immediately. After a one on one discussion, which was mainly Gabriel calling him out on his bravado and obnoxious persona, he took charge of the 'public relations' portion of the strike team. (Though not before he had to be banned from the front lines due to bringing knives to gunfights. Gabriel didn't care if they now had valuable information about how to take out several different omnic models' visual and audio systems without firing a shot, the idiot was going to get himself killed if he didn't get his act together.)

Jack was his closest friend, his confidant, the closest thing the group had to a field medic. His aim was paralleled only by Ana, even though his distance of accuracy was much smaller than hers. He was also a promise, words spoken in the dark, a simple request between two people. He was more, to Gabriel, words whispered in times of fear and desperation, the question never vocalized, but known. 'After the war.'

And Liao...Gabriel would feel guilt, and raw, for years to come over Liao. They were the communication person, making sure the comms were secure, switching up paths for both data and people, doing everything they could to keep the team safe. They were brought into the field only once, because the group was down from injuries, and the backup was needed...  
Their screams still haunt Gabriel. Their body was never found.

-

They win the war. Most of the group survives. And he's right in his hopes: they're kept around. Unfortunately, he's also correct in their methods.

Jack looks uncomfortable, when Gabriel arrives in his office. He can tell, already, what this meeting is about.

"Commander Reyes-"

"Jack." Gabriel interrupts him, looking pointedly around the room.

He shakes his head. "Checked right before I called for you. Haven't left, since then." A breath. "We're clear."

"Then I already know what you're gonna say." He smiles faintly, as he sees the tension drain from Jack's shoulders.

"I tried to disagree with them."

"And I told you they wouldn't listen."

"Well, you were right. Again."

"And you said planning this far ahead was 'paranoia'. and 'unnecessary'." Gabriel can't help but smirk, sitting in the chair and propping his feet up on Jack's desk.

"Yeah yeah." Jack makes a face, swiping at Gabriel's feet. "Stop that."

"Nah." A chuckle. "Tell me what their plan is, Commander."

"Oh God, don't call me that. It sounds so..." A sigh. "It's not my title to have."

"Well it is now, so suck it up and deal with it."

"Can you be serious for two minutes?"

Gabriel makes a face. "This is how I won the Omnic Crisis-"

"How we **all** won." He interrupts.

"Yeah. So why change what isn't broken?"

Jack sighs, pressing his hands to his face. "You are such a pain."

"And you love it." He finally gets his feet off the desk. "So, tell me their plan already."

He paces around the room, as he talks. "They want me to be the one in charge. They're calling my title 'Strike Commander'."

"Of course they are."

"They said you were not to be my second in command,"

"Assholes."

"...And that Ana is to take that title."

Gabriel can't help but smirk again. "They think I'll know what's going on, so they put Ana instead? Have they not realized that I trained all of you to be able to see their bullshit without me?"

"No, but they know you're smart enough to realize what they're doing." He stops, turning to look at Gabriel. "They tried to remove you from the organization entirely."

That gets a raised eyebrow. "Seriously?"

"I got them to give up on that idea quick enough. I had to make up a whole new division for you, though. But I think it's much more your style. It'll be better this way, too. I have to answer to them. But you?" He smiles. "You'll only have to answer to me."

He leans forward. "Jack, you clever bastard. What's the plan?"

"You'll be running the undercover sector. 'Black ops-esque', as far as they're concerned. You get to keep on with what you know, and on your terms."

"What's your part called?"

"...Overwatch."

"Over- Oh my God."

"Shut up-"

"That's so dumb!"

"Shut up!"

Gabriel can't help his chuckles, before he finally calms down. "Okay then. I guess I'll call my part, Blackwatch."

Jack makes a face. "That's just as dumb!"

"And that's the point. Yours is what it says on the tin. So is mine. Besides, it shows those who think they can control us that I'm not going anywhere."

He finally grins. "Perfect."

-

They have an agreement. A plan. While behind closed doors, their feelings are their own. But once in public, the act rises. It's exactly what the UN wants: an angry and hostile Commander Reyes, and an annoyed and aggressive Strike Commander Morrison. It's an easy enough act, especially with the world on the line. But off the record? Secret messages and quiet whispers, gifts and surprise visits, their promise continues.

-

When Gabriel gets the call, and hears worry instead of anger from his fiance, he knows something's gone wrong.

He bursts through the door, eyes locking onto Jack instantly. "Talk to me."

"The mission, a few days ago? On Route 66?" He doesn't look away from the wall, the one way mirror.

"Yeah? What about it?" He looks where Jack is, eyes widening. "...Who the fuck is that?"

"That's our shared problem, right now."

"That's a kid, Jack. A child."

"I know that."

"What the **fuck** is a **kid** doing in my interrogation room?"

"He's part of Deadlock."

Gabriel's skin feels cold. "...He **what**."

"He's going to go to prison-"

"Jack! He's going to be tried as an adult!" He gestures to the window. "He'll be killed! And that's if he's **lucky**! If he was part of that shithole this early in his life, he probably didn't have a choice!"

"My hands are tied, Reyes."

"Your hands- my **ass** , Morrison."

Jack finally looks over at him. "The UN is breathing down my neck every second that I'm out there among them. **My** hands are tied." He glances back towards the glass.

Gabriel watches him, before his eyes widen. "...How much time've I got?"

"Ten minutes after it all goes down. It's all we can do without raising suspicion."

"Then I'll make it work." He tilts his head, popping his neck. "I hate this plan."

"I know." Jack salutes. "Good luck. Make it count." He leaves quickly after.

Gabriel sighs, before he walks down the hallways leading to the holding room. He can't help the feeling of amusement, however, when he sees the guards of the kid straighten up when they see who he is. As if he doesn't know they were relaxing a moment ago. "Hey."

"Commander Reyes, sir!" One speaks, saluting and doing his best to avoid eye contact.

He knows this one. He lets it go. "I need you to let me in to see the prisoner."

"Of course, sir." He moves to the side, clicking in the access code.

Gabriel moves inside, relaxing a bit as the door closes and locks behind him. He slowly moves over to the table in the middle of the room, and sits down in the empty chair. "Hey, kid."

The kid doesn't answer.

"Care to tell me your name?"

That earns him a glare.

"Come on kid, you've gotta share something."

" 'm not a kid." A feisty reply.

"How old are you?"

"Seventeen."

He can't hold back his amusement. "Bullshit."

"Fuck you!"

"Nah."

That makes the kid look confused, before he glares at him again. He doesn't seem to like that he's not getting a rise out of the man in front of him.

"Name?"

"You first."

"Sure. I'm Gabriel."

There's a pause.

"Your turn."

"...Jesse."

"Got a last name, Jesse?"

"I dunno, do you?"

"Yup."

Another look of annoyance.

"I can keep this up all day, kiddo. But my boss probably wouldn't be too happy about it."

"...You don't listen to your boss?"

"We disagree more often than not, these days."

"...How're you not dead?"

"I taught him a lot of his tricks. I could take him down if I had to. But that's not how we settle our problems, here."

"And why're you telling me all this?"

"To try to make you more comfortable, by being one of the few people who's ever been honest with you. Gabriel stretches his arms. "Is it working?"

"Fuck off."

"Nah-"

The lights suddenly go dark. The whir of powering down machinery is loud, as is the sound of the door locking shut. After a few moments, the emergency lights turn on. Dim, but enough to see by.

There's frantic banging on the door. "Commander??"

"At ease!" He calls from his seat. "Go patrol, check on the others. Report to the Strike Commander when you're done."

"Yes sir!"

Gabriel waits for the footsteps to face away, before he looks back at the kid. "...Anyway..."

Jesse looks unsettled, glancing all around, looking over the other man's shoulder.

"Something up?"

"In the window. There's a guy just...staring."

"Oh, that's fine." He leans forward, arms on the table. "Jesse, can we talk? Just you and me, off the record."

"Off the-" His eyes widen. "You knew this was gonna happen?"

"I've got a limited amount of time now, kiddo. Answer my question."

"...Yeah."

"Well, I'm gonna level with you, Jesse. You've got two options here. Since you've attacked our men, and killed-"

"I didn't have a choice unless I wanted to die-"

"Anyway, my point is, you're in trouble. First option, you go to prison."

His eyes widen, and he looks slightly terrified.

"You'll be tried as an adult, especially if you're really seventeen like you said, and you'll likely get the death penalty."

"Thought that was illegal."

"It was, before the Crisis." He sighs. "And even if you don't, you'll probably get life, and the other people who get that won't be kind to you."

He takes a slow breath, trying to steady himself. "An' option b?"

"You stay here." Gabriel crosses his arms. "You join Overwatch. Blackwatch, specifically. You tell all you can about Deadlock, and I honestly don't care how long that takes you. Could take you years, on and off, and I wouldn't mind waiting. You put your skills to use for the good guys."

"...What's the catch?"

"I don't know when you'd be allowed to leave. I'd keep you off the front lines as long as I can, so you'd be safer, but Blackwatch doesn't exactly have a resignation form."

"Is that legal?"

"I'll send another complaint to the HR department. Now, I gotta get an answer, Jesse. We're running out of time."

"So my choice is guaranteed death, or possible death."

"Hey, the possible death option also means you get to keep your gun. Or, at the very least, you get to have a new one. Yours looks halfway to exploding on you the next time you fill it with rounds. And, you'll get a space all your own."

"You don't have to sell it more, I'm already gonna chose the 'I'd live longer' option, asshole."

Gabriel smiles. "In that case, welcome to Blackwatch, Jesse."

-

Gabriel's already in a bad mood, when he gets the call from Jack. He storms to the other man's office, trying to remind himself that anything that's said to him isn't personal. Some days, it's getting harder to remember that.

When he bursts into the room, and sees someone else inside, he instantly glares at Jack. He hates being so harsh, but he has to keep up the act. "What the fuck do you want, Morrison."

"We've got another recruit for you." Jack's arms are crossed.

"What kind of recruit."

"Like your cowboy."

"I'm not a babysitting service. Find your own damn minder." He turns around.

"Wait!" The woman in the room speaks.

Gabriel turns back around, looking at her. "...Who are you?"

"I- I'm Doctor Angela Ziegler."

"We don't need a doctor, Morrison."

"No- Not me. He's..." Angela looks...Gabriel can't tell. Uncomfortable? Concerned?

"Your new guy is on the operating table." Jack provides, glancing away.

~~Shit.~~ "Then what's the good doctor doing here, huh?"

"Well..." Definitely concerned, he decides. And frustrated. "I'm not...permitted to finish the procedure."

"What?" Gabriel looks over at Jack.

"The UN. They won't permit the surgery because we'd be using their funding, and they 'won't have made a useful investment'."

~~Jesus Christ.~~ "So what do I have to do with it, then?"

"They've agreed to fund the procedure, if..." She looks nervous. "...If Blackwatch obtains him as an agent, should he survive."

"What the **fuck**." Gabriel almost wishes he could scream. "What the hell are you having to do to him?"

"Almost a full body reconstruction- by the time we found him, he was almost dead."

"He's a member of the Shimada. One of the sons of the current leader, maybe? I haven't looked at the data recently." Jack's turned fully away, trying to remain stoic.

"Fucking-" He looks over to Angela. " **Do it**."

"Sir, if he doesn't survive, they'll likely want some favor, something that they feel will be able to pay back the debt." She's smart, already realizing what the hell the UN actually is. Gabriel almost wishes that she was part of his group. But having an ally in Overwatch will be just as good. Better, probably.

"I don't **care**. I'll deal with it if I have to. Go save the kid, **now**!"

She doesn't need to be told twice, and she rushes off.

Gabriel sighs, pressing at his face.

"...I hate this, Gabe." Jack stays where he is, looking away, arms crossed behind him. "This is fucked up. We shouldn't be forced to use people as weapons, in exchange for their lives."

He walks slowly over, resting an arm around Jack's back. "I know, Jack."

"If he dies, they'll use their 'favor' to have you removed."

"I know."

"It's a risk, but if we do nothing, the kid'll die. They're playing us."

"It's fucked up."

"It's **really** fucked up."

Gabriel sighs. "...I'm sorry I got you into this mess, Jack."

That finally gets him to look at him. "...What?"

"No one deserves to have to deal with this. But you especially don't." He raises his hand to comb through the greying blonde hair. "...The stress alone-"

"I can manage."

"It's killing you."

"It's fine."

Gabriel sighs, pulling Jack into a hug. "I...I'm gonna get you out of this, some day. We'll retire. The world can save itself, for all I care."

Jack chuckles softly, hugging him back. "...Good luck with that."

"Thanks. I know I'll need it."

-

Things seem to get worse, after that. It's slow, but he notices it. He's sent out on more missions, and feels like the close calls he has are too close to not be deliberate. Jack is called away to watchpoints far away from the ones Gabriel returns to. Jesse's comm goes on the fritz, no matter how many times they try to fix it. (He ends up replacing it. He can't risk losing one of the few damn people he still cares about.)

He goes to Gerard, practically begging for him to help find as much damning evidence as possible. He agrees.

Amelie goes missing two weeks later. Gabriel searches desperately for her. She comes home on her own, sharing none of where she's been. Gerard's thankful, and tells him he'll have the information compiled in a week.

Six days later, Gerard and Amelie are gone, blood and broken equipment all that remain. Gabriel doesn't reach out to anyone, after that.

He finds out about Ana on the news, of all places. He calls Jack in a fury, lashing out when he hears the words he knows are coming. 'I had no choice. My hands were tied.' He takes out his comm and throws it across the room, before he heads off to comfort three distraught kids.

It's after one more mission gone bad, that he talks to those he's needed to. Bandages still freshly wrapped around him, he calls Jesse and Genji to his office. He tells them everything. All his concerns. All his fears. Everything he knows. And he tells them to leave. They refuse at first, but he insists.

By the end of the week, the two are gone. Gabriel hopes he made the right choice.

-

Gabriel's paranoia is getting to him, he knows, but he...has a bad feeling. Going with his gut always saved him during the Crisis, and he hopes beyond hopes that it will work here too.

He heads to Jack's office, tensing up at the lack of people milling about. They're finally in the same Watchpoint, in Zurich, and he wants to see his husband. (They didn't have the ceremony, just filed the paperwork. Without Gerard, and especially without Ana, it wouldn't have felt right.)

As soon as he's through the door, his concern grows again. "...Jack?"

Jack's sitting at his desk, face in his hands. He doesn't look up. "...Hey, Gabe."

He moves across the room, wrapping his arms around his husband's shoulders. "What's wrong, Jackie?"

"...They're calling for my head, Gabe. Figuratively." He starts to shake. "There's files- documents about your missions that I haven't had access to. Not even Athena can override that. They're forging my name, my signature, my seal of approval- they want us apart, want us **gone** , and it's...starting to get to me."

"You're just noticing the effects, is all. It's been hurting you for years. We both know that."

"And now...now Jesse and Genji are missing, too." Jack looks up at him. "...How many more do we have to lose?"

Gabriel gently rubs circles into Jack's shoulders. "Hey, the kids are okay. I sent them away, Jackie. for their own safety." He hugs him, pulling him close. "I've noticed things, Jack. Things are getting too close for comfort. Everything feels...off."

"We need to leave. Get as much information as possible, go public with it, **something**. There's corruption coming from inside, Gabe." He looks up at the ceiling. "Athena."

"Yes, Strike Commander?" The AI speaks through the room.

"Gather every file I've saved to my private archives and send it to my communicator's internal storage. Then, delete the evidence."

"Strike Commander-"

"Protocol override - Sierra Victor November Sierra Xray."

"...Override accepted."

Gabriel raises an eyebrow. "You planned for this?"

"You taught me to plan for this. Of course I did."

He pulls him closer. "We're going to be branded traitors, you know. Until we put out the information."

"Not the first time we've faced near impossible odds." Jack chuckles, before he reaches up and activates his eyepiece.

"Upload complete." Athena says. "Deletion complete."

"Thank you, Athena."

"You're welcome, Strike Commander. Is there anything-"

A far off rumble interrupts her.

"...Athena, what the hell was that?" Gabriel pulls away, straightening up.

"Explosion detected. Lockdown engaged." The door makes a solid thud.

"Lockdown? Shouldn't we be getting **out** of the building?"

"Attempting override..."

"Athena!" Jack looks up. "What's going on?"

"The Watchpoint is under attack."

"What?" Jack scrambles to his feet. "But there's just a handful of us here- from Overwatch, at least. And Gabriel's squad."

Gabriel's blood runs cold. "...Athena, how many hostiles? Can you get comm readings?"

"Six or seven hostiles detected. All are using communicators attached to connection Zeta Two - Blackwatch." There's a ding, and Athena's voice becomes more hurried, concerned. "I can't get the override to activate on the door- Commander! There are two more comm readings, from-" Her voice abruptly cuts out.

"Athena?" Gabriel can feel his pulse in his neck. "Athena!"

"Gabe-" Jack's tone is alarmed, as he finally steps away from the door. "I can't pry it open."

"Can't pry it open?" He moves over, quickly. "What did they do, put in supersoldier proof doors?" He pauses. "...Oh shit, they did, didn't they. Did they put in the electro-lock things? You told them not to!"

"They did it anyway." Jack runs a hand through his hair, in stress. "Doors we can't break down, Athena is out of commission- your own men are leading the attack. This was a trap, Gabriel. And it's sprung."

Gabriel's eyes widen, as he hears another distant explosion.

"They've won."

-

Gabriel jolts awake, and it takes him a moment to realize why. He groans, as he forces the dark mist that fills the room back into a roughly human shaped form. He hates when the memories haunt him. It happens, every once and awhile, after a rough mission. He pushes himself to his feet, sighing. He won't be getting back to sleep, any time soon. Might as well get to work.


	2. Chapter One

The Reaper lies in wait. Always has a plan. Can be anywhere in an instant, and no known thing can keep him contained. ...That's what people see, at any rate. But in all honesty, the Reaper is the mask a man wears, a mask for a dead man, so he can continue what he tried to do in life. And that man is tired.

He's tired right now, for starters, because of the most recient botched Talon job. He had to expend far more energy than, in his opinion, the mission deserved. He probably should be used to this sort of thing by now. It was supposed to be a standard data gathering mission, but nothing ever works out in their favor, these days.

(Though it still wasn't as bad as the mission of 2072, which looking back was the most fantastically botches mission he's ever seen. He still doesn't believe that any former Blackwatch members could have been a part of that. They would have bust a gut laughing at the end result. He knows he sure did.)

The mission also tired him out from all the souls he had managed to get his claws on during the battle; an even split between the guards, and Talon members. He'd almost feel bad, but the guards weren't exactly on the 'good' side themselves. He needed to gather energy whenever he had a chance.

However, as the nanites tear apart the collections of bio-energy, he becomes sluggish and tired, prefering to either curl up and sleep, or let his form unwind to smoke and just exist.

Unfortunately, someone coming into his room keeps him from doing either of those. He slowly turns his head to glare at the visitor. "..Sombra."

"Hey, Gabe." She's tying away on one of her holoscreens, as she sits down on the corner of his bed. "You busy?"

"Go away."

"Nah." She taps a few things, before she finally looks at him. "You been keeping up with things while you've been out?"

"Get to the point, Sombra."

"Touchy." She taps a few more times. "Another person on your list is dead."

There's a minor spike of panic that flows through him, bout outwardly he doesn't react. "Which one?"

It was common knowledge that he had a 'list', a tally of people related to Overwatch that he wanted dead. He played it up on missions, trying to convince Talon, and the world, that he was just some heartless criminal. Far less, only one for sure, knew that the 'list' he bragged about was a fake. His real list, his true revenge, was far more hidden.

"Which one do you think, Gabe?" She rolls her eyes. "Do you think I'd come in here and tell you this calmly if it was the other one?"

"Point taken."

"Idiot."

"Who was it this time?"

"One of those UN suits. Exposed his corruption, then was found murdered in his own office."

"Any leads?"

She twitches her fingers, flicking the holoscreen to rest in front of his face. "This is what they've got."

The security photo is blurry, but it's easy to tell the figure. White hair, god awful jacket, piercing red visor...

"Soldier 76. Again."

"Looks like." She snaps her fingers, recalling the screen to her fingertips. "Another target of yours that he's taken out."

"I don't care. I just want them all dead. Don't have to do it all myself." Though he couldn't help the minor disapointment that hits him when he realizes he won't be able to make the man regret his mistakes.

Sombra leans back, tapping once more. "You know, it's kinda weird that he knows your targets."

"He raids Overwatch Watchpoints. He's probably got all the data he'd need...Or..."

"Or...?" She perks up.

"Or he's a former member, after what I'm after."

"Oo, exciting!" She smirks, amused. "Got any idea who he might have been?"

"No. He's not Blackwatch, that's for damn sure. I'd remember him if he was. Which means he must have been Overwatch. He can't be former Talon, you'd know if he was."

"So former member of Overwatch, huh? Interesting."

"I'll keep an eye on him, make sure he's not a threat." He rolls over, facing away from her. "Now fuck off, and let me sleep."

-

When Gabriel had decided to look for more information on this '76' vigilante, he didn't expect to get into a firefight. Not the first meeting, at least. But here he was, darting away from a set of helix rockets, wondering what he's doing with his life. "Talk about misreading the mood..." He mumbles to himself, leading the man away from his squad. He doesn't care about the Talon underlings, but if he wants to get any information from the man, he doesn't need them to know about it.

Assuming he can get the man to stop shooting at him. He's pretty sure he can figure something out.

His smoky form slides under a warehouse door, flattening against the dark walls. He can't help but be surprised, when the man walks in after him. He waits a bit longer, watching the man walk deeper into the room. "76." His voice echoes through the building.

The man tenses. "...What do you want." He glances around the room, his visor the only light in the area.

"To talk."

"Right. Tell that to your guards."

He growls. "Not my guards. They're fodder."

"Sounds like Talon thinks so highly of it's members."

"That's not Talon's words. That's mine."

"Same thing."

He narrows his eyes. "No, it's not."

"What do you want, Reaper. I know who you are. I know what happens when you chase down targets."

"Then why are you bothering to ask me?"

The soldier turns, looking around the room again. "Because you haven't killed me yet."

"Haven't even shot at you, did you notice?" His smoke moves along the walls. "Not like you did. Shooting first and asking questions later, that your usual method?"

"Fuck you. You're part of Talon. What was I supposed to do, not shoot at the people who are trying to kill me?"

"I just want to talk, 76."

"Then start fucking talking." He hasn't been still for even a moment, the entire time he's been in the room, glancing everywhere, leading with his gun. He's on edge, and it's obvious.

His smoke slides to the floor, before he slowly stands up. His guns are nowhere to be seen. "I want answers."

"So does everyone." The soldier points his gun at him.

"Do you come with an off switch?"

"Look who's talking."

"In case you didn't notice, you told me to do that."

They watch each other, motionless, before 76 lowers his gun. "...What kind of answers."

"About why so many people from my list are winding up dead." He crosses his arms. "And why, when I'm not behind the trigger, it's you."

"Last I checked, most people on your list were already dead."

"You seriously think I'd let anyone know my true intentions?"

"You're working with Talon. You're a terrorist, plain and simple."

"It's called undercover work, 76. You ever hear of it?"

"Tell yourself whatever you want, if it's how you sleep at night." He's still holding his gun, but he isn't pointing it at him anymore, as if the weight is what he needs more than the protection.

"How do you know who to take down? I know you're killing people who screwed over Overwatch."

He tenses up.

"I'm not an idiot, 76. They're on my list for the same damn reason."

"Sentimental, huh?"

"My reasons are my business. But I want to know why someone I've never met before is trying to do my damn job."

"..." He glances away. "I found data at several of the old Watchpoints. Ones which you've also hit, I've learned."

"Yeah, after you did."

"I'm not sorry." He rolls his shoulders. "Once I realized what happened, I went after those responsible."

"What's got you so eager for revenge?"

He watches him for a moment, before he sighs. "...I used to care about Overwatch. Finding out what happened...I wanted to make things right."

"No one can do that, anymore." A pause. "You an old fan, then?"

He chuckles. "That's all you're getting from me."

"For now." Gabriel smirks, turning around. "I'll see you around, 76. Try not to get killed before I get a chance to talk with you again." He fades to smoke, slipping out of the building.

"No promises." 76 watches him go.


	3. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter powered by Pumpkin Spice.  
> No, but seriously, thank you to everyone for commenting, giving kudos, and even just taking a look. Your guys' interest is what pushed me to write this next chapter in a time frame quicker than two months. Hopefully I can keep the pace, and hopefully you'll still enjoy where this has to go.  
> And I hope you enjoy the little surprise at the end of this chapter :3

They meet up sooner than Gabriel was expecting. Which is great in theory...but he really wishes it had been literally any other time or place. It's one of the few missions that they need to complete, need with a capitol N, and he's been providing a distraction.

"Heads up, we've got company." Sombra's voice crackles through his comm.

"How much longer is this going to take, Sombra?" He crouches behind a wall, taking count of how many he has left.

"Well, if someone would actually help me instead of sitting on her ass, maybe I could get this open sooner!" She grumbles, before scoffing. "This isn't a vacation, _araña_ , we have to go!"

"Sombra..." He smokes into the fray, firing his shotguns at the guards. He's so focused on going around, taking out his targets, that he doesn't realize something feels wrong until Sombra's voice cuts through the haze.

"Reaps! Think fast!"

Gabriel tenses, glancing around, before he staggers forward as he feels several bullets make a home in his back. He growls, whipping around, shotgun drawn, ready to punish whoever thought they could sneak up on-

His eyes widen under the mask as he realizes that Soldier 76 is the one aiming at him. He lowers his gun.

76 tenses, before he takes off running.

"Motherfucker- Sombra!" He bolts after him. "Do you have things under control?"

"Got it covered. You go after your new best friend."

He growls but doesn't reply, allowing his body to shatter to dust, smoke chasing down his target.

Soldier 76 is crouched down in an alleyway, breathing heavy. He raises his gun when he sees Gabriel getting closer.

"Stand down, asshole." His claws reform on the edge of his hazy frame, and he grabs 76's shoulders, yanking him into a nearby building.

"Hey-" He struggles within the wraith's grip, but as the fog wraps tightly around him he can't break away.

"Shut up." His form is vaguely human shaped behind the other, as he pulls the both of them back against the wall. One of his claws covers the face-plate of 76's mask, the other gripping the man's side. "Don't move."

76's struggle fades, until he's finally still. His rough breathing gives away his fear, but Gabriel doesn't judge him for it.

After a few moments, running footsteps are heard nearby, along with a set of voices.

"He went this way!"

"Chase him down!"

"Priority target nearby, currently in pursuit!"

The two tense, as slow footsteps are heard near the entrance. 76 yanks his arm out of Gabriel's grip, reaching up and tapping the side of his visor before he can be stopped. The visor goes dark.

"He can't be far." One of the Talon grunts speaks from outside. "We should split up. Take out anything that moves nearby."

"Are you kidding??" The other voice replies. "The Reaper went after him! On the one hand, if he can outfight -him-, we have no chance! On the other, you know what happens to those who get in his way! He'll just kill us too!"

"So, what, you want to let Reaper get all the glory?"

"We're not here to show up The Reaper, we're here to re-collect The Widowmaker! We can't find the Soldier, so let's just go back before you get us killed!"

76 tenses a bit more, tilting his head ever so slightly. Gabriel growls in response.

"...Fine. Let's go back. But it's your head that's rolling if we get in trouble." Footfalls trail away, until it's finally silent.

A few moments later, Gabriel finally lets go, coiling away and reforming nearby.

76 lets out a breath as he's let go, reaching up and turning his visor back on. "So, not killing me today, then?"

He rolls his shoulders, taking a step forward, only to startle when the wraith collapses to the floor. "Shit." He crouches down next to him. "What happened?"

"Your fucking bullets happened, that's what." Gabriel growls, pushing himself to sit, hunched over.

"They hurt you this time?"

"They hurt every time."

"You know what I fucking mean." He helps the wraith lean against him.

"I was solid this time, dumbass. Why were you even shooting at me in the first place?"

"We were in the middle of a firefight, and you're mad at me for shooting you."

"Yes!" He glares, even though the mask blocks his face.

"Cry about it." He reaches to his side, unclipping something from his belt.

"Fuck you."

"No thanks."

That catches Gabriel off guard, and he sputters.

76 snickers quietly. "Paying attention now? Because I've got an important question."

"I hate you."

"Can you get the bullets out yourself?"

"Yeah, I can get the fucking-"

"Then do it. And hurry up. Your team'll be looking for you soon."

"They're not my-"

"Enough fighting. Just fucking listen to me, already."

Gabriel yanks himself away, snarling. "This isn't gonna be pretty."

"Wounds never are, Reaper. Hurry up before I change my mind."

His nanites shift and shudder in his back, locating the bullets with ease. A dark viscous liquid drips out of the holes, far too dark to be blood, as the bullets are pushed out of his body. They clink to the ground, before he slumps over again.

A sudden warmth rolls over him in waves, and for a moment he finally feels at ease. It's a feeling he hasn't felt in a long time, and it's only when he hears a soft click and the warmth leaves that he realizes why. He's tense again in an instant. "Where the hell did you get that from."

"I raid Watchpoints, remember? It's called a biotic field. I'm surprised it worked on you." He leans back on his hands. "How's it feel?"

"I'm fine. I don't need your concern." He sits up, rolling his shoulders.

"I'm trying to make up for shooting you, Just...let me, will you?"

"You can make it up to me by not doing it again." Gabriel pushes himself to his feet. "Now get out of here before they find you." He falls to smoke before the other man can reply, flying down the streets.

He moves like a small river, gliding over all the bodies lying in the wake of Talon's mission, pulling every shattered and complete soul that he can find into his frame, trying to forget how content he just felt. It was a moment of weakness, the memory of a time long past, but he can't hide from it. Not like this. In his less physical forms, thoughts and emotions dominate over training and practice.

He aches. Not just from the healed wounds, but from what he remembers. He wanted to hurt 76, when he realized what he'd done. Only one person had ever used those on him, besides himself. He had no fucking right to Jack's old equipment. Who cares if they hadn't been used since the Omnic Crisis? In his mind, they were still Jack's, and only he had the right to use them.

But he can hear a voice in the back of his head, that sounds suspiciously like Jack's, reminding him that Jack would want the equipment to be used to help people. To help Gabriel.

And it hurts. The memories hurt, the thoughts hurt, the feelings of loss and guilt, regret and mourning, threaten to tear him apart-

"Gabriel."

The voice catches his attention, for a moment. He knows that voice. He trusts that voice.

"Mission's over. We're heading home. Get to the extraction point before we leave your sorry ass."

Ah. That explains it. He slowly reforms, looking around. "Sombra..."

"We're on our secure channel. don't panic or anything. I'm not an idiot." She sounds almost slightly concerned, and even that is telling of how badly he had just broken down. "Get over here. Now."

"Understood." He takes one more look around the body filled streets, before he starts the long walk to extraction.

He doesn't trust himself to wraith.

-

Sombra leads him through the halls, once they get back to base. She drops Widowmaker off at the infirmary, before bringing him back to her room.

It's not as sparse as his. A large bed is pushed into the corner, three beanbag chairs in different shades of purple and pink in a pile nearby. Her desk is elaborate in design, covered in various papers and parts from her translocator.

"Sit down." she finally speaks after the door is shut. "Mask off. Coat off. Persona, off."

"I don't owe you anything." It's a halfhearted retort, and he knows it. He takes off the coat, dropping it on the floor in a pile. He drops the mask on top, before he slowly shambles over and collapses into the dark pink chair.

She picks up the pile, moving the items somewhere else. He doesn't care to notice. She returns, draping a grey blanket over his shoulders.

"I'm not fragile, Sombra." He pulls the blanket tighter around him.

"Shoes off." She crosses her arms.

"I'm not wearing your stupid-"

"Shoes. Off."

He sighs, pulling them off and throwing them across the room. He pulls his legs onto the chair, wrapping the blanket fully around himself.

"Thank you." She moves to the door. "Wait here." She leaves before he can reply.

He sighs again, slumping over slightly. There are few people he trusts, in the world. Far fewer who he would let see him in such a state. Sombra's managed to make her way onto both of those lists. It would unsettle him, how quickly she had, if he still cared enough about anything like that.

She had figured out who he was quickly, cornered him, and torn into him. Shouted, lashed out, screamed in his face, because here was the one man who could have fucking done something for her home, alive after everyone else was dead, and why hadn't he done anything? It was the one and only time he had ever seen Sombra 'break character' so aggressively, letting her persona drop as she finally found someone who deserved her rage.

He had told her everything. Gradually, over time, but he had told her nonetheless. About the UN, about his team's betrayal, about his new mission.

About Jack.

They worked together ever since. They made their own terms, but they would stick together. No matter what. Because the two of them were all that they had.

He looks up when Sombra returns, carrying two mugs. The door shuts behind her, and she sighs, handing him a mug. "Here."

"Sombra..."

"It's not lemon." She knew some of the things that would set him off, like this. "Or grey." He appreciates the gestures, more than she could ever understand. Or...maybe she did. "It's white hibiscus."

"...Thanks." He looks down into the cup.

She sits next to him, after grabbing a large stuffed bear. She adjusts to rest her arms around it, still holding her cup of tea. "...You want to tell me what that was all about?"

He takes a small sip, still looking into the liquid.

"...I haven't seen you get like that since Dorado."

What a mess that had been. Taking out some members of Los Muertos had been the plan, taking care of a few of Sombra's 'loose ends'. And it had gone fine, until the explosion that shook half the area interrupted them. They had gone into a store the next day, undercover, to try to find out more about the blast. He hadn't been prepared to hear the kid inside talking so excitedly about heroes to anyone who would listen to her. It felt like she had described a ghost.

He had held it together until they had gotten back to their safehouse.

"...I thought about him, again." His voice is quiet, not growling like usual, but rough from the emotion he's trying to restrain. "About Jack."

"Why?"

"Soldier 76." His shoulders slump. "He had biotic emitters."

"Why did that remind you of him?"

"They were Jack's. Back...during the crisis. He always carried them to patch us up in the field. He had worked with Ana at first, to develop them then. After the war, he worked with Ange- ...Mercy. With Mercy. She was always credited for them, but the original concept was his." He takes a rough breath. "...He took them from a Watchpoint. Used one to patch me up."

"...You haven't used one since Jack, have you."

"No. I didn't want to touch anything that had been his."

"That explains it..." She looks away. "You were lost for almost half an hour, before I pulled you back, you know."

"I was with-"

"No. I mean lost in thought." She looks back at him. "Was wondering if you ever were going to come back."

"...Sorry I worried you."

"I don't want an apology. You didn't do anything wrong. I just thought you should know."

He slowly nods. "...Thank you, Som."

" _No te preocupes_ , Gabe." She smiles. "No problem."

[_]

_Soldier 76 makes it back to his safe-house without any other trouble. He moves quietly, mechanically, closing the door, pulling off his shoes, hanging up his jacket, walking to his bed. He pulls off his mask, running a hand through his hair as he drops the armor to his side. He pulls off his visor, too, rubbing at his eyes as he sits down. It hurts, it hurts so badly, and for a moment he tries to maintain his strictness, tries to remain 76._

_But he can't stop the tears falling down his face, and he's Jack before he even realizes it. He hunches over, curling around himself, pressing his hands to his face as if that will stop the pain._

_It started with his retort to The Reaper, his playing off the man's anger as flirtation, and he regretted it as soon as he had spoken. It flowed easily, just like back then, and it felt like a knife in his chest. Things just kept piling up, after that. The banter felt too close, too much like home. He hadn't used the fields on anyone else in years, only on himself, and barely even that. It felt like had broken something, some small rule that never had been, when he had used it on The Reaper. But he always cared too much; he had hurt him, and had been protected by him anyway. He needed to make up for his mistake._

_He took a shuddering breath. How long had that been his mantra? Fixing his mistakes was the only reason he was still around. The only reason he hadn't given up and joined his husband six feet under. He owed him that much._

_A part of him disagrees, insisting it wasn't his mistakes that he was making up for, urging him to keep going anyway. It sounds like Gabriel's voice._

_It takes him a while to ground himself, but eventually he pulls his hands away from his face. The tears keep falling, but he reaches under his pillow, grabbing the leather bound book underneath. He knows it's dangerous to carry, but he doesn't care. He can't care. Not about himself. Not anymore._

_He leaves the visor off, even as he flips through the pages, struggling to find where he left off. He picks up his pen, lining himself up as best as he can, before he starts to write._

_'Gabriel,' He begins, 'I...thought about you again, today...'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to talk to me, about fandom things, about this fic, or just say hi, feel free to send an ask to me at confusedfanunit.tumblr.com


	4. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, please enjoy a chapter that focuses more on Widowmaker than on Gabriel's quest for vengeance.

Gabriel doesn't even bother looking up when the seat across from him is taken. "Widowmaker."

"Reaper." She slides a mug over to him.

"What's this?"

"Coffee."

He does look up, at that. "...Why."

"I want you to tell me something."

"I don't really feel like talking."

"Let me rephrase." She leans slightly against the table. "You are going to drink that coffee, and you are going to tell me something."

"Okay. Here's me telling you I don't want to talk." He picks up the mug, taking a sip, before he sets it down. "I don't want to talk."

"You have learned humor. Interesting." She shakes her head.

"What do you want."

"To know where you ran off to, during the mission the other week."

"...Soldier 76." He looks away. "He got caught in the crossfire."

"And you pursued him?"

"Yeah."

"...Interesting." She stands, looking him over.  
  
He remembers, back when she was someone else, when he was someone else, that she always had been good at seeing the truth. Even if it was hidden behind unspoken words.

"Whatever your interest in the an, I recommend you finish with him before Talon notices your behavior."

"They won't." He looks back at her.

"Good." She looks him over once more, before nodding, and walking away.

He watches her go, and stares even after she's left. He finally rubs at his face, groaning quietly. "...Whatever the fuck that was about, I'm too tired for it." He pulls the coffee into his hands, staring down into it.

-

"He is here." Widowmaker's voice comes through the comm.

Gabriel raises an eyebrow, shooting the goon in front of him. "What."

"He's here."

"Yeah, I got that part. Who is 'he'?"

"Your 'boy'."

He stumbles, and almost drops his gun. "My **what**."

Sombra's laughter drowns out almost everything else around him.

"Sombra has taken to calling Soldier 76 'Reaper's boy'." There's a smirk in her tone.

The laughter abruptly stops. "Hey!"

"Sombra." He snarls.

"Betrayed!"

"While this is 'fun', what remains is that he is here."

Gabriel fades to smoke, drifting down the street. "Where is he."

"Do not worry. He is out of harms way. For now."

"If you-"

"Wait."

He presses into a gutter, panic spiking. "What-"

"Shut up, and wait."

He stays where he is, trying to calm himself down. He's silent and motionless, waiting for a sign, for a noise, anything. He hopes beyond hopes that he doesn't hear a gunshot.

"...He saw me."

"Widow-"

"Silent. Calm down. I did not shoot him. He...did not shoot either." She sounds slightly...confused, by this. "He looked at me, but did not fire. Did not even raise his gun."

He reforms, letting out a breath he didn't even know he had been holding. "Good. We need to leave. Mission's over."

"...He reminds me of someone."

He almost stumbles again, with how tense that makes him. "...What?"

"His movements are...familiar to me. But I cannot know him..." There is a pause, before she sighs. "It does not matter. I will meet you at extraction."

He spends the entire way back thinking about what she said.

-

"Reaper." Widowmaker is dressed casually, standing outside his door. She looks out of place, though he knows she once came to him and confided in him a lifetime ago.

"Widowmaker." He nods once, mask still on. "What do you need?"

"I am...concerned." She takes a breath. "I feel like you are someone who I can express that to."

_'I used to be.'_ "Usually you talk with Sombra. Everything okay?"

"I have...burdened her enough, lately." She taps at her arm with her nails, a tic she never really got rid of. "...There is a date, that is coming up. It is important, yes?"

He closes his eyes. He knows what she's talking about. "...Yeah."

"What is that date? Please?"

"The death of Gerard Lacrouix."

"...I killed him."

"Yes."

She tightens her grip on her wrist. "...I remember him. But I do not. As if he is a concept, more than a person."

"He was an important member of Overwatch. Some people say he was looking too deeply into Talon." He forces his voice to remain steady. _'I did this. This is my fault. You are my fault.'_

"I killed him to protect Talon."

"You did."

She thinks over this information, before she nods. "...Thank you. For telling me. I remembered the date was important, but not why."

"You're welcome." He pauses. "..Let me know if you need anything else." He knows it's a dangerous thing to offer, but he can't leave her alone here. He can't fail her again.

-

"Sombra?"

Widowmaker's questions hadn't stopped, to the point where Sombra set up a secure line for just the three of them to use. She, of course, went as far to enable holoscreen projection for all of them, so they could 'all talk face to face', she'd said.

Gabriel had thrown a fit at the idea of having a webcam conference with a hacker and one of the world's best snipers, all of them working in a terrorist organization.

He had lost, which led to the screen now hovering above him, waking him up.

"Heya." Sombra replies, her face materializing next to Widowmaker's. "What's up?"

"I have a question. Are you busy?"

"Nah, was just finishing up."

He almost snorts. They all know she's never 'done' with anything.

"I would ask Reaper, but I believe he is asleep."

"Huh." She taps away at her keypad, likely checking his vitals. He decides not to speak up.

"It is about my gun."

"Okay, shoot. Pun intended."

He rolls his eyes.

"...Where did I get it?"

"..." She sighs, keypad turning off. "Talon gave it to you. They've made many for you, over the years."

"I see."

"I know your next question. No, you were not a sniper before Talon."

"...Thank you."

"Don't worry about it. Anything else?"

"No."

"Alright. Get some sleep."

Widowmaker nods, before ending the connection. Sombra is quiet for a bit, before she sighs.

"You hear all that?"

"Yeah." Gabriel finally speaks, exhaustion in his tone.

"Looks like the lowered dose of suppressant really is working."

"Amazing the progress half a year can make. Good job, Sombra."

"Don't thank me too much, it might get to my head."

"It already has."

She snickers. "Yeah. Hey, maybe in a year we can get her out of this place."

"And go where? There's not exactly a place for us anywhere else."

"Well, I could drop you off at a nursing home." She smirks. "Claim you're my uncle and she's my girlfriend."

"Who's 76 in this scenario?" He's not sure when he stopped calling him 'Soldier'.

"My other uncle."

"Hey. Watch it."

"Yeah, yeah." She rolls her eyes. "You do care about him, though."

"He is an ally."

"Enough that you're wondering how to bring him with us when we skip out of here. Either he's your friend, or your pet. Your choice."

He growls. "...Friend. I guess."

"Look at you. Now you have three. Amazing."

"As much as I want to sit here and listen to you continue to make fun of me, Sombra, I really had been sleeping before. I'd like to get back to it."

"Whatever. Have good dreams. Never tell me about the ones you have about him."

"Goodnight, Sombra." He cuts the connection, drifting back to sleep.

If he has dreams that night, of sitting and talking, of snow white hair, he doesn't mention it to anyone.


	5. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning for possibly graphic violence. Gabriel kills a man.

Sombra whistles. “You gotta hand it to him, he sure knows how to make a scene.”

Gabriel wouldn't exactly call that a scene, but he can appreciate it nonetheless.

Iyov Merev found dead in his own home, tied up and shot and left to bleed out on his expensive fucking floor. All of his digital data was already safely in Sombra’s hands, a few juicy bits forwarded to the media, the important parts: his working for the UN, and how he helped destroy Overwatch. The blow up was already fantastic, entire news segments trying to 'delve in’ to who his killer is, voices rising to distance themselves from Iyov’s crimes. That all was good.

But that was textbook, or might as well have been. As if it was done by someone who hadn't personally suffered from his actions. He supposed that made sense. He was almost entirely sure now that whoever Soldier 76 had been, he had never been part of Overwatch. Had gone to fundraisers, maybe, perhaps even been considering recruitment. But anyone he knew would be making these kills personal.

Maybe he just needed to show him how it was done.

-

Sydney Badr, what a piece of work he had been. Gabriel couldn’t help the amusement in his heart, when he discovered where the man had been hiding; moving from safehouse to safehouse, paranoid for his life. It was exactly what the man had deserved. He had been the go between for the UN and the starting ranks of Talon.

That’s why Gabriel had brought him here, to a construction site in a long abandoned part of town. It was being built by a company he didn’t care to remember, maybe some company in bed with Vishkar, or had it been with LumeriCo? He stopped paying attention in meetings long before Talon, and knew if there was anything important that Sombra would tell him.

He snaps back to attention when he hears Sydney start to stir. He puffs himself back up, getting back into position. He’s going to make this count. “Sydney Badr.” His tone is as menacing as he can manage, as he walks over to stand above the man. “You’ve caused a lot of trouble over the years, haven’t you?”

The man startles as he wakes, looking around. “Who- who are you? What do you want?” He shudders, blinking as he tries to clear his vision.

“You’ve probably heard of me.” Gabriel chuckles darkly, circling him. “You ever hear the stories of the Reaper, and what he does to those involved with Overwatch?”

Sydney tenses, trying to follow with his eyes, even in the dark. “No- I was never part of Overwatch!”

“Oh, sure, you never officially were part. But being involved with doesn’t just mean ‘part of’, you see.” He chuckles. “You were part of the UN, though. Working with parts of Blackwatch, right?” He stops, staring down at the man. “Or did you think that I wouldn’t know about that?”

“I wasn’t!”

He sharply kicks him in the ribs. “You don’t want to lie to me. Try again.”

He winces in pain. “I’m not telling you anything! I’m not letting you find anyone else!

“You really are that stupid. You think I don’t know who did this? I know better than anyone else.” He grins under his mask. “Do you know why?”

“Because you’re a murderer who gets whatever he wants-”

Gabriel kicks him again. “Wrong. What, don’t you recognise me?” He reaches up and pulls off his mask, looking straight down at the man. “Take a good hard look. Let me know when you remember.”

Sydney looks at him for a good few minutes, confusion fading to fear, and eventually making its way to rage. “No- You died!”

“Didn’t take.”

“You son of a bitch- I should have known. It’s always been you who had a flair for the dramatic.”

“I get that a lot.” He starts to circle the man again. “So, Sydney, have you figured it out yet?”

“What, that you’re a psychotic murderer who’s out for revenge?” He glares daggers up at him.

“...Wow. You really think you’re the one in the right, don’t you.”

He snarls. “I told them they should have killed you two first.”

Gabriel almost stumbles.

“Should have sent two nameless goons in to finish the fucking job. But they didn’t. And now look where we are. Reyes and Morrison, still fucking alive like the cockroaches that you are-”

“What the fuck did you just say?” He’s still, standing in front of Sydney, staring in shock.

“Don’t play dumb with me, Reyes. That’s who your friend is, who’s been killing whenever you’re not, isn’t he?” He spits on the ground. “Worthless explosives, couldn’t even-”

Gabriel is on him before he even realizes it, pinning him down, punching him repeatedly in the face. When he finally stops his breathing is heavy, anger and pain obvious in his posture and tone. “Jack is dead, you _bastard_! He died in that damn explosion!”

Sydney looks up at him, before he smirks. “Good.”

His blood runs cold. The nerve, the gall of this man, his prisoner- He shoves himself to his feet, kicking him in the head. When he finally speaks again, his tone is aggressive, haunting, downright cruel. “All of you will _pay_ , for killing him. For destroying Overwatch, our family. For tearing us apart.” He grabs him by the collar, moving to the edge of the unfinished floor.

“Hey, wait- Don’t-” He struggles in his grip.

“They’ll all know. Every person who had a hand in this will _die_.” He holds him over the edge, before he lets go.

Sydney screams as he falls, hitting the ground with a sickening smack and crunch.

Gabriel slowly makes his way down to the ground, before shoving him into one of the many construction trenches.

He looks up at him, barely conscious through the pain. “Please...”

He snarls. “ **Suffer** . It’s what _we_ did.” He moves over to the side, setting up the left behind concrete truck, (He would have to thank Sombra for her help, later), before flipping the switch. He grins as he walks back over, watching Sydney slowly being covered by the wet building material.

Sydney brings up a shaky arm, trying to reach for anything, to claw himself free. But after a few moments, his hand stops moving, held upright by the drying concrete.

Gabriel turns off the machine, pressing his mask back into place as he reaches down towards the hand. His fingers twitch, and Sydney’s soul fades through the drying mess, collecting in his hand. He crushes it, shattering it to pieces, before his nanites eagerly take apart whatever’s left. He wordlessly stands, before he leaves the scene.

-

Sombra’s eyes widen. “Wow. Went all out this time, huh?”

The news this time speaks of the scene, the blood higher up and on the ground, the currently unidentified body, the lack of fingerprints left behind. A ‘ghastly’ murder, they’re calling it.

“He deserved this.” Gabriel’s arms are crossed, and he looks away. “One more down.”

Sombra looks over at him, before looking back at the screen. “...One more down.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, that chapter was a lot more intense than the others. It's...been a sort of plan that I had since the beginning? I don't want to focus too much on exactly how Gabriel and Jack go about their revenge, but I felt like showing the difference in how they've been doing it was important for character reasons. Jack leaves barely any trace when he does it, making it look like just a random killing, even though he's just as angry and aggressive when he confronts them. For Gabriel, it's entirely personal, and he wants them to know it.
> 
> As a note: while this is the first time that Gabriel himself has had someone assume (correctly) that 76 is Jack, Jack has had several of his targets assume (correctly) that Reaper must be Gabriel. Neither of the two even slightly believe it.


	6. Chapter Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's my birthday so it's the day I try to give gifts to other people, so here, have a chapter!

Gabriel used to hate these dreams. He's always hated his dreams of the past, memories of a time when he didn't wish he could just finally rest. He'd felt like he was being haunted by the past, and given that he felt he was essentially a ghost? It felt a bit backwards to him.

He doesn't mind these dreams, though. They feel almost comforting.

He's sitting down in Jack's chair, in Jack's office, but the part that should lead out to the rest of the base is replaced with a view. This time, it's a sunset, and desert shrubbery.

He doesn't even need to hear the footsteps behind him. "McCree."

"Boss."

"Thought I told you to stay away." He turns to look at him.

McCree looks almost exactly how he remembers: scrawny but with some muscle, tall but casual, a smirk on his face. He's wearing his Blackwatch gear, but his cape and hat are replaced with a serape and the hat that Gabriel gave him before he left. "When have I ever been good at listening to orders?"

"Never in your goddamn life."

"That's right." He tips his hat. "'Sides, someone's gotta check in on you. May as well be me."

"Don't sound too excited, kid." He smirks back.

"What, and tire you out with my energy? No way, Boss." He keeps his smile for a bit longer, before it falls. "...What are you doing, Boss?"

He looks down at his hands, not surprised when he sees gloved hands instead of claws. "...What's right."

"You sure about that?" McCree walks over, resting a hand on Gabriel's shoulder.

"..." He looks away. "I don't know.

"Hey, I ain't here to judge you. Heaven knows it's not my place."

"I know, McCree."

They're quiet for a bit.

"...Should come look for me, Boss."

Gabriel's eyes widen, and he looks back over.

"Missed you, you know. Went to your funeral."

"Yeah, and your left arm was in some kind of sling, all wrapped up. Mercy must have-"

"Thrown a fit, yeah. But...what else was I supposed to do? Not go?" He sighs.

Gabriel's the one to reach out this time, pulling McCree into a hug.

He breaks, wrapping his arms around him as tightly as he can.

"...It's okay, Jesse.

"Is it?"

He sighs. "...No. Things might never be okay again." He gently rubs a hand up and down McCree's back. "But you can be. As long as you stay away from me."

"Boss-"

"I mean it, Jesse. It's not safe for you to know who I am. Maybe one day, but not yet."

"Who are you trying to convince? Me, or you?"

Gabriel is quiet. He doesn't know the answer.

McCree presses his face against Gabriel's shoulder, body shaking as if he's holding back tears.

"...I'm proud of you, you know. Always was."

He looks up at Gabriel, emotion flooding his face.

 

Gabriel wakes with a start, arms reaching out as if he could still hold his son. It takes him a minute to realize what's happened, and he presses his hands against his face to try not to cry.

-

_Sombra smirks as she soundlessly follows her target. She stays several steps behind him, stopping when he does. "Jesse McCree."_

_The man sighs, turning around. His hair is a mess, beard unkempt, dark circles under his eyes. "Sombra."_

_"Ah, so you've heard of me."_

_"Hard not to in my line of work." He pulls out a cigarette, lighting it and lifting it to his lips._

_She raises an eyebrow. "I thought you prefered-"_

_"Yeah, well, I'm fresh out of those and addiction's a bitch. I'll take what I can get." He blows out the smoke, watching it float away._

_She grins, holding out a box. "I can help you with that."_

_He abruptly looks over at her, before glancing at the box. "...And what do you want from me."_

_"Nothing. Consider it...a gift."_

_"I ain't stupid, you know. I know you don't do 'gifts'."_

_She rolls her eyes. "It's not a gift from me. I 'borrowed' someone else's money to get them. So it's a gift from that person."_

_He watches her for a bit longer, before he drops the cigarette to the ground, putting it out with his heel. He reaches out and takes the box._

_"These are your favorite, right?"_

_"What do you want." He doesn't even bother narrowing his eyes, just looking exhausted._

_"What makes you think I want anything?"_

_"You don't follow people and give them shit unless you want something."_

_"And you," She points at him, "don't let people follow you unless you have a reason to."_

_He says nothing._

_"Tell you what. Let's be honest. I'll tell you why I'm here, and you tell me why you're here."_

_"Deal." He answers almost too quickly. "Ladies first."_

_"Aww, how sweet." She rolls her eyes again. "A personal favor to a friend. He doesn't know that I'm here, but he needs this." She crosses her arms. "Your turn."_

_He's quiet for a bit. "...I wanted to ask you a question."_

_"...A question?"_

_"You have the most information out of anyone on the goddamn planet. If you don't know this, no one will."_

_She considers, before she nods. "Okay. Go ahead."_

_"What'll you want in-"_

_She shakes her head. "I'll put it on his tab. What's the question?"_

_McCree takes a breath, before looking right at Sombra. "...Is Reaper Gabriel Reyes?"_

_Her eyes widen. "...You noticed."_

_"Of course I fucking noticed! He practically raised me for half my goddamn life!" He looks away, pulling down his hat. "...He's alive. He's alive, and working for Talon-"_

_"Using Talon." She watches him carefully. "He's using Talon to get revenge. And then he's going to kill them all."_

_He stares at her._

_"Look, I've got to go. But I'll keep in touch." She mocks tipping a hat. "Adios, Jesse." She disappears in a burst of pixels._

_McCree looks at where she had just been standing, before looking down at the box in his hands. He adjusts his hat, before he heads off._

-

Gabriel's next dream isn't for a few weeks. But when he has it, it starts up just the same. He's in Jack's office, sitting in Jack's chair. But this time, instead of the desert, he sees the grounds of Overwatch's Watchpoint in Egypt. He closes his eyes.

"Gabriel."

His breath stutters, and he opens his eyes. "...Ana."

She smiles at him. "There you are. You can't hide from me forever, you know." She looks as she did before she went on her fatal mission, through there are bandages wrapped around the right side of her head.

He smiles faintly. "...I know."

She walks over and sits on Jack's desk, crossing her ankles to keep herself from lightly kicking her legs. "You've been busy, I see."

"...I'm sorry, Ana."

She raises an eyebrow. "You say that every time I come to talk."

"Because no matter how many times I say it, it will never be enough."

She sighs. "What happened to me was not your fault." She leans back, resting her hands on the desk to hold herself up. "How are you, Gabriel?"

"...Fine."

"Bullshit."

He looks up abruptly.

She rolls her eye. "You cannot trick me. Tell me the truth."

"...I'm hurting. Sometimes there's no physical pain, but the emotional.." He closes his eyes, shaking his head. "Some days I want nothing more than to join you and Jack. Maybe then...Maybe then I'll stop hurting."

"You cannot give up just yet, Gabriel. Soon, you'll see us again. But until then, you have a job to finish. And you've never given up on a job before."

"I never lost you two before." He sighs. "...But you're right."

"As I tend to be." She smirks.

"...Once I break Amélie out. Once I get Sombra someplace safe to hide. Once I destroy Talon. Then I'll join you."

"Don't rush. We've waited this long. We can wait a bit longer." She glances around. "You're waking up." She gets to her feet, walking away. "Good luck."

 

When Gabriel wakes this time, he just sighs, standing and walking across the room. He has work to do.

-

_"I have to go." A voice echoes through the speaker that Sombra has at her side, as she sits on top of the ruins of the Necropolis._

_"I understand." Another voice, younger than the first, speaks. "Next time, contact me before I contact you, okay?" She has amusement in her tone._

_"Of course." The first voice speaks again. "Get some rest."_

_"Of course. Goodnight." The voice clicks off._

_There is a pause, before the first voice speaks again. "Who is listening?"_

_Sombra looks down at the speaker._

_"I know you are there. He is asleep. She just left. Who are you?"_

_"Observant." Sombra grins, pressing a finger to the communicator in her ear._

_"Being a sniper will do that to you."_

_"Ooo, I knew I'd like you.”_

_"What do you want? Who are you?"_

_"A lot of people are asking me that question, lately..." She rolls her eyes, keypad and holoscreen flickering into existence in front of her. "You're the Shrike, right?"_

_"I asked you first."_

_"And I asked you second."_

_They're both silent._

_"...Fine." She rolls her eyes again. "The name's Sombra."_

_"Talon's hacker."_

_"That's a bit strong. I'm not 'Talon's'. I'm just...working with them, for now."_

_"The difference doesn't matter, here."_

_"Look, Shrike. I'm just trying to see how you're doing. See if you and your weaponized raccoon with an America fetish are doing alright."_

_"Why do you want to know about me and 76?"_

_"Wow. You didn't even try to dispute that."_

_"It's hard to dispute a truth." She sounds minorly amused. "Or at least, a partial truth."_

_"Which part is the true one?"_

_"The raccoon part."_

_"See? Jokes! You can tell jokes!"_

_"Still-"_

_"A friend of mine is worried about 76. He's not been in contact lately."_

_"His secret contact."_

_"Yup, that's the one." She keeps typing away._

_"...He is fine. Physically. He shuts down, this time of year. I will tell him that his ally is concerned."_

_"Thanks. That helps me out a ton. You have no idea how mopey he gets when he's being ignored." Sombra grins. "Hey, if you need anything, just contact me. You have my signal now, after all."_

_"You don't do charity work."_

_"I'll put it on my friend's tab." She chuckles. "Later, Shrike." She drops the connection, leaving the speaker as she teleports away._

-

Gabriel knows what's coming, this time. This time of year, he's doomed to having at least one dream like this.

He's in Jack's office again, but this time he's standing. The desk is broken, papers scattered all around the room at varying heights. The chair is splintered, pieces floating motionless in the air. The ground is breaking in places, the billowing smoke and fire below peeking through the cracks. The door is closed, and outside the window there is only smoke and burnt out wasteland.

He doesn't realize that he's shaking until a hand comes to rest on his shoulder. He turns, tears in his eyes. "...Jack."

Jack smiles at him. He's wearing his Strike Commander coat and uniform, but his hair and face look young, back before he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. The youth and joy are destroyed by the blood dripping down his face, the burns on his hands, the stains and tears through his uniform.

Gabriel looks similar. He can tell from the numbness he feels. "...Jack..."

Jack keeps smiling. "Hey Gabe." He trails his hand down to Gabriel's, holding it. "It's been a while."

"...I..."

"Hey, shh..." He reaches up with his free hand, wiping the tears away. "It's okay."

"It's not, Jack."

"It is, here." He gently tugs on his hand, pulling him after him. He walks with a limp, but the smile doesn't leave his face.

Gabriel almost screams, every step on his broken legs almost too much to bear. He gasps for breath, silently sobbing as he follows.

"Hey." The smile is still in place, as he sits down across the floor from the explosion. "Sit with me?"

He collapses on top of him, clinging to him like a lifeline.

Jack gently pets his hair, holding him close. "It's okay. You can cry."

Gabriel breaks, pressing his face against Jack's chest as he screams.

"I'm here. I've got you." He keeps petting, rocking them gently from side to side.

He shakes almost violently, screams dissolving into broken sobs.

Jack's smile finally cracks, falling. "...I'm here."

"You're not, Jack."

He sighs.

"You're gone. You're gone, and it's my fault."

"Gabe..."

"I should have been better." He tightens his grip, breathing roughly as he pushes his words through his sobs. "I killed you."

"You didn't, Gabe."

"My men did. They were my responsibility. You trusted me, and I- I failed you."

"...Gabe..."

"I killed you." He presses his face back against Jack's chest, trying to ignore the blood that sticks to him as he does so. "I killed you..."

"Shh..." He hums a tune softly, trying to calm him down.

"...It should have been you."

"Hmm?"

"Angela. She...she found me, remember? She brought me back." He shakes his head. "She should have saved you. Not me."

"Gabe-"

"Look at what I've become, Jack. There's nothing left for me. I'm killing those who did this to us, but that's all I have."

"You have Sombra." Jack points out. "Jesse's still out there. Genji probably is too. Angela, Lena, Reinhardt, they'd all welcome you back with open arms."

"But you're gone."

"Gabe-"

"You're gone, Jackie. You went somewhere I can't follow you." He curls tighter around him, despite the pain it sends through him. "I wish I could. After all I've done...I don't know if I ever can."

"Hey, shh..."

"I'm not a good man anymore, Jack. I haven't been for years." The tears keeps falling. "They wanted a monster, so a monster I became..."

"You're not a monster. You're doing good things. You're still fighting on our side, after everything. You're still good."

"I'm not an angel, Jack-"

"You were mine." He smiles down at him.

"And look how that went."

"...Gabriel, you can't hold onto this forever. It'll destroy you."

"Good. Let it. I already destroyed you."

"Gabriel..."

"I want to see you, Jack. I miss you."

"I know." Jack presses a gentle kiss to Gabriel's temple. "And you will."

"Soon?" He tightens his grip again. "...Please?"

"...Soon." He sighs. "But not yet."

Gabriel keeps crying against him, even as their frozen moment speeds up, the sound of fire and collapsing metal surrounding them. He hears screaming, and he doesn't know if it's his, or Jack's, or both-

 

He can't see. Everything hurts, everything is too much, he feels trapped but there's nowhere else to go. He hears someone shouting, someone far away, but close. He feels a shock of purple electricity, before he hears someone talking inside his head. He doesn't know what they're saying, but he hears them, and the voice is grounding. He slowly starts to come back, slowly realizes where he is, slowly notices who's talking to him.

He pulls his nanite cloud back, curling over himself, even as he doesn't reform. "...Som."

"Gabe." Her voice is rough, and she's leaning against the wall, taking shaky breaths. Her hand is still extended, and shaking, purple light shooting out like static around her fingertips.

"...I hurt you."

"I'm fine."

"...Why? Why did you come in here?" He compresses more, still a ball of energy. "...Why did you come after me?"

"You were screaming. It..." She finally lets her hand fall. "...It was worse than the other times."

"Sombra..."

"I...didn't know if you were going to come back without my help-"

"Olivia."

She stiffens, watching him.

"...I could have killed you."

"But you didn't."

"But I could have."

"I'm willing to take that chance." She stands up fully. "I'm not going to just leave you here to destroy yourself, Gabe. If there's something that I can do to help you, I will." She looks away. "...You're the closest person I've had, since my family. I'm not gonna let the last person I care about shred himself to pieces if there's something I can do to stop that." She takes a few shaky steps. "...Come talk with me later. When...when you're you again. Okay?" She looks over to him for a few moments, before she leaves the room, closing the door behind her.

-

_"...Soldier 76."_

_76 is on his feet in an instant, pistol raised and pointed towards her._

_Sombra raises her hands. "It's just me."_

_He watches her for a few moments, before he lowers his gun. "...What do you want?"_

_"Why does everyone keep asking me that in that tone of voice?"_

_"Your reputation precedes you." He sits back down on his makeshift cot, sighing. "The question still stands."_

_She glances around, before lowering her voice. "...Why were you staring down at your gun, 76?"_

_He stiffens, looking away. "...I changed my mind. I don't want an answer to my question anymore."_

_"Well I do." She moves over and sits down on a box. "...76."_

_"Save it." He looks down at the pistol again. "I don't want your pity."_

_"At least tell me why?"_

_"I don't owe you anything."_

_"I'm the one who gave you all the booze you drank." She looks around. "How much have you had tonight?"_

_"Most of it." He sighs. "Not enough."_

_"Two cases of beer, a bottle of scotch, a bottle of whiskey, and a bottle of vodka? That's not enough?" She blinks. "How are you still alive? Let alone conscious."_

_"Blame it on all the experimental shit they pumped into me back in the military." He slumps over slightly. "Barely drunk."_

_"Were you looking at your gun because you're drunk, or because of why you're drinking?"_

_He leaves the gun on the bed, lifting his hand and shaking it slightly. "Little bit of column A, mostly..." His hand drops. "...Mostly B."_

_"Does the Shrike know?" Sombra's voice is gentle._

_"She knows better than anyone else."_

_"About the gun, or the drinking?"_

_"...The drinking._

_She sighs. "...What are you doing, 76? Does this help?"_

_"...Makes it almost bearable."_

_"...Reaper's worried about you, you know."_

_"I'll be fine for our mission in two weeks."_

_"That's not what he's worried about. You've barely contacted him."_

_"..." 76 sighs, rubbing at his temples. "...He reminds me of someone. Someone...I used to care for."_

_"...What happened to them?"_

_"He died. Because...because of me." He presses at his face. "Something...went wrong. I saw the signs, tried to protect him...but it wasn't enough." He hunches over, resting his head in his hands, around the visor. "He's gone. And nothing I can do will change that."_

_Sombra is quiet, for a few moments. "...I'm sorry for your loss, 76."_

_He shrugs, slumping over onto the cot. He says nothing._

_She stands, silently leaving the room. She sends off a quick message to the Shrike, before she teleports away._

-

Gabriel doesn't know where he is at first, the next time. He's not at a Watchpoint, that much is certain. It takes him a few more moments before he realizes. He's sitting on the roof of one of Talon's bases, but the base is utterly destroyed. The only piece that hasn't collapsed is the section that he's sitting on. He sighs.

Footsteps slowly make their way towards him, before the man sits down next to him.

"76." He looks over.

76 gives him a mock salute.

"What are you doing here? You're not part of my pattern."

He tilts his head slightly, as if looking at him, before he shrugs.

"Helpful, asshole." He nudges him, before he sighs again. "...You've got me worried, you know."

He raises an eyebrow, tilting his head in question.

"It's been days since our mission, and I haven't heard a goddamn word. You got yourself hurt, and refused to let me help, and now you've dropped off the fucking map." He presses his hands against his face, groaning. "I don't know what to do."

"Come after me."

Gabriel's eyes widen, and he looks over at 76. "...What?"

"You said it yourself." 76 stretches, folding his hands behind his head as he leans back. "It's been days. What do I usually do at this point?"

"...Respond to Sombra, even if you're ignoring me."

"And what haven't I done?"

"Contact me or Sombra."

"Bingo." He sits up, turning to properly look at him. "You said I was injured, right? If I'm not responding, doesn't that mean something might have gone wrong?"

He stares. "Goddamnit..."

76 pats him on the shoulder, before standing. "Go on. I'll still be here when you get back." He turns and starts to walk away. He mumbles under his breath. "...Hopefully."

 

Gabriel wakes with a start, rolling out of bed in an instant. He's at Sombra's door before he even realizes he wraithed.

Sombra looks up at him, confused. "What's up, big guy?"

"76 is missing."

"...He hasn't answered your pings?" Her eyes widen.

"No."

"...Mierda."

"What-"

"He hasn't answered my pings either. Or the ones of my contact."

His blood runs cold. "Find him, Sombra."

She turns back to her desk, nodding. "I will."

-

_Soldier 76 grunts as he's thrown to the ground yet again. He doesn't even bother trying to crawl away. It's not worth the effort this time. He turns his unmasked face up towards one of his captors, glaring as he tries to pull his hands free of his bonds._

_"Aww, what's the matter Soldier?" He smirks, crouching down. "Is this too hard for you?"_

_He doesn't even bother trying to speak, he just kicks out towards her. The kick isn't far enough to reach._

_He snickers, standing up again. "Wow. And here I thought you had to be something special. After all, the Reaper took an interest in you."_

_He freezes, focusing only on his breathing for a moment. "...What the hell are you talking about?" His voice is even rougher than usual, and he gasps for breath after his words. He's not used to unfiltered air, after so long of using his mask._

_"We know the Reaper has his eyes on you, Soldier. We also know that he's been resisting killing you. So either he's not a loyal as we thought, or there's something about you." He chuckles._

_76 growls. "I'm not telling you a goddamn thing." He winces, breathing roughly._

_"Don't worry, Soldier. We have the time. Reaper won't find you. Neither will your little friend the Shrike." He grins. "So we'll take as long as we need." He turns and walks to the door, stopping with his hand on the handle. He looks back at him. "Hey, tell me Soldier. Would you starve before you answer our questions?"_

_He growls again._

_"Hmm. Well." He laughs. "I suppose we'll find out."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are starting to kick off, now.


	7. Chapter Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so glad I waited a day before typing up this chapter.

“Reaps!”

Gabriel startles, looking away from Sombra’s holoscreen to look at her. “...Huh?”

“I know that look.” She shakes her head, concerned. “This is obviously a trap. I don’t know by who, but you can’t fall for it.” 

He gestures to the screen. “I have to check. If there’s even a chance-”

“You’re going to get yourself killed. I shouldn’t even have told you.”

“I can’t lose more people, Sombra.” His voice cracks, and he pulls his hand back to his chest.

She blinks, eyes widening.

“I’ve...” He closes his eyes. “I’ve lost too many people already. If I didn’t go after him, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.” He looks over at her. “Just like if anything happened to you.”

She watches him for a moment longer, before she sighs. “...You really do care about him.”

“He’s...my friend. Like you called me out for, before.”

She looks over to the screen, before she lets out a breath. “...Fine. But promise you’ll at least try to be careful.”

“I promise.” He presses his hands against his face. “...Thank you, Sombra.”

“Don’t thank me yet. We still need to get you there and back in one piece.” She rests a hand on his shoulder. “...I’ve got your back.”

-

Gabriel doesn’t seem to be paying as much attention as he usually does. He gets into the old laboratory building with ease, slipping down the halls as he tries to come up with a plan. Nothing comes to mind.

He gets a ping over his comm, and sends one out in return, forming against the wall. He stands out in the halls, white walls faded and tattered but still brighter than him. He moves into a nearby room, making his way to the computer and tapping at the keys. He grumbles when he realizes the screen is too dark, mentally making a quip about him being ‘too old for this’, before he pulls off his mask to get a better look.

Minutes pass as he tries to find anything helpful, but he’s interrupted by a sudden flash of light. It takes him a moment before he looks over to see what caused it.

A small multi-legged robot, about the size of his palm, looks up at him. A part of it flashes, a familiar sound accompanying it.

“...Camera.” He mumbles to himself, staring at it for a moment longer. He throws his mask to the void, launching himself at the droid.

It skitters away, taking off out of the room.

He turns to smoke and chases it.

-

_Sombra groans, rubbing at her temples. She leans back in her chair, mumbling curses in Spanish._

_Her programs weren’t working. Not for what she wants, at least. She’s been trying to find out any information, anything about 76 at all, that might help find him. But she’s got nothing. Nothing but a headache, at any rate._

_“Turns out,” She mutters in annoyance, “that ‘strong and tall old white men who have short hair and were in the military’ isn’t actually going to lower search results. Who knew?” She drops her face onto her desk. “This is bullshit.”_

_“What is?”_

_She startles, looking over at the source of the voice. “...Widow. What are you doing here?”_

_Widowmaker smiles faintly. “You have not left your room. I brought you food and coffee.”_

_“...Why?”_

_She shakes her head, setting what she brought on the desk. “Because the Reaper is gone, and he is usually the one who makes you eat.” She smirks. “If you starved, who would I ask my questions to?”_

_Sombra snickers. “Fair point. Thanks.”_

_“What are you doing?” She looks at the screen. “...You are attempting to find out the identity of Soldier 76?”_

_“Less ‘identity’, and more ‘literally goddamn anything’, but yeah. He’s gone missing. Reaps is worried.”_

_“I told him to take care of what he needed before Talon noticed.” She shakes her head. “Fool.”_

_“...Wait. Talon knows?” She looks over._

_“I would assume. They have not been happy with his ‘playdates’.” She blinks. “...Did you not know?”_

_“...I never even thought to-” She shakes her head, tapping at her keypad. “I gotta warn him-”_

-

Gabriel snarls as he collides with another wall. The damn droid is faster than he expected, unpredictable, and every time he almost catches it it gets away again. He feels like a cat chasing a laser pointer, but at least the cat would be enjoying the goddamn test of patience.

Finally, the droid darts into a sideroom, and he follows right behind it, slamming the door closed after him. “Got you, you piece of shit.” He reforms in the middle of the room, mask back in place, glaring at the device.

It looks up at him and flashes again.

“...Motherfucker.” He takes a step towards it.

It flashes again and skitters away once more.

He’s back to smoke in an instant, chasing right behind it, pouring over the container that it crawled inside. He completely fills the container, pressing his smoke against the droid at the bottom, swirling. He shatters the machine to pieces, letting his nanites shred the rest apart. He takes notice at what they return to him: the camera wasn’t an actual camera, it has no internet connectivity, and...it’s remote controlled? Confusion spikes through him, and he startles as he gets a connection request from Sombra.

Whatever she was about to say is cut off as he suddenly feel nothing but his nanites swirling. He immediately presses his smoke outwards, trying to find the exit, but the container is completely closed. He presses harder, trying to break it open, but nothing budges, and it’s too small for him to catch on anything.

He’s felt this before, this disconnect, and he knows what that means. First of all, she was right that it was a trap. Secondly...It’s the same feeling he had when he had been shoved into one of Talon’s ‘Sensory Deprivation Pods’, back when they wanted to see if he would break. It had unsettled him, then, but he had been whole, and by the end if was more of an annoyance than anything.

But whatever he’s in now isn’t like that. It’s too small to let him be whole. It’s too small to even let him be partial.

He’s trapped in whatever he chased that thing into as his nanite cloud.

He immediately begins to panic.

-

_Sombra’s eyes widen, and she bites down a curse. “No, nonono.”_

_Widowmaker blinks. “What is wrong?”_

_“His signal is gone.”_

_She leans back. “...He turned off his communicator?”_

_“No. His signal went completely dead. I can always track his signal, even if he turns it off. But I can’t now.” Her keypad flies over to her fingertips, and rapidly taps the keys._

_Widowmaker moves away, to the side of the desk to get out of the way. “...What are you-”_

_“Sombra?” The Shrike’s voice plays into the room, a holoscreen appearing and displaying her hood and mask. She tilts her head. “Have you found something?”_

_“I need your help.”_

_“...You need my help?”_

_“Look, I know you’re still searching for 76. I am too. But if you don’t help me right now, even if we find him, we’ll never be able to get him back.”_

_“...What do you need?”_

_“Reaper’s gone AWOL. I can’t track his signal.” She starts to shake from anger. “They did something to him, and now I can’t find him. I need you to find him.”_

_“...The Reaper?”_

_“That’s 76’s contact. The friend I mentioned, before? He went searching for 76, and now he’s missing too. If you go help him, I’ll keep searching for 76. I give you my word. Please.”_

_The shrike looks towards her for a moment. “...I will go. Send me his most recent location.”_

_“Thank you. I owe you. And I don’t say that lightly.”_

_“Keep in touch.”_

_The screen shatters into a blast of pixels, shutting off. Sombra taps a few more keys, before she lets her hand fall. “...I hope she can find him.” She looks over to Widowmaker. “Look, I know this-”_

_Widowmaker stands there, shock in her eyes as she stares at where the screen had been._

_“...Widow?”_

_“I know her.”_

_Her eyes widen. “What?”_

_“I know her. She...she is supposed to be dead.” She takes a few more steps back. “...I killed her.”_

_“Widow-”_

_She bolts out of the room, slamming the door behind her._

_Sombra stares at the door for a moment. “...Someone she killed...?” She turns back to her desk, setting most of her programs to run again. She sets up one more, with different parameters. “...Who are you, Shrike?”_

-

“Stop. Stop stop stop stop-” Gabriel wishes he could breathe, because that would help him calm down. He knew he was more emotion than man in this state, and now that he’s here he can’t break out of the spirals that his mind, and body, get stuck in.

“Focus. You have to focus. If you don’t focus you’ll panic and if you panic you’ll expend too much energy and if you do that you’ll shred yourself to pieces and you’ll die-” He interrupts his own train of thought. “Oh God- I’m going to die. I’m going to die-” His nanites swirl even more aggressively, slamming against the walls. “I’m going to die, and 76 will die, and Sombra will die, and they’ll use Amélie until she’s dead too-”

He thinks for a moment that he can feel himself moving, but he can’t tell. He doesn’t know what’s real and what’s hysteria at this point. “They know. They know what I am. They have to. Do they know who I am? How did they find out? Only Mercy- No, nono, what if they killed her? Another death because of me- Angie I’m so sorry-”

Out of nowhere, a part of the container dents inwards, compressing Gabriel further. He cries out in fear, swirling, trying to understand what’s happening. Before he gets a chance, another dent is formed on the other side, and he continues to panic. A third, deeper dent follows quickly, and he cries out in pain.

“Stop!” He’s shouting, and a part of him knows that he can’t be heard, but he can’t help but try. “Please!” He’s made of pain, he’s sure, because pain panic and fear are all that he knows anymore.

The container acts almost as if it was in a vice, the middle of it bending inwards to the point where it almost cuts it, and Gabriel, in two.

He screams.

-

_Sombra’s fingers fly over the keys, setting another set of programs to locate 76, before she leans back. She doesn’t like being stuck doing nothing while people she cares about are in danger. She already lived through that once._

_A ding gets her attention,and she looks up. ‘Three possibilities found’, the screen says in purple text._

_She sits up immediately, flicking the files in front of her. “Silvija Rilla. Dead. Believed killed by The Widowmaker. Height, weight, voice unmatched. 22% likely.” She shakes her head, sliding the file away. “Nope.” She looks at the next one. “Viviane ‘Vivi’ Judita. Dead. Believed killed by The Widowmaker. Height match. Weight and voice unmatched. No training with long ranged weapons. 37% likely.” She sighs. “No way. Let me see-”_

_She stares at the file, eyes slowly widening. “...KIA by The Widowmaker. Height match. Weight close match. Voice match of 82%. 97% likely.” She whistles. “...Damn. Of course. That makes so much sense.” She saves the file, before closing all of them. “If there’s anyone who can find him, it’s her.”_

-

He’s not sure if he’s talking, anymore. He’s not really sure of anything, anymore. All he knows is he feels pain. He can’t move, he also knows that. He’s trapped somewhere. He’s unable to breathe, he can’t see, he can’t hold on much longer. It feels too close to a feeling he hasn’t felt in a lifetime. All he can think of is being trapped under burning rubble, slowly being crushed as he bleeds to death. But this time he’s alone. He can’t take any more pain, he’s sure.

He’s scared. He doesn’t know what will happen to him. Will his nanites destroy his soul, then slowly fade away? Will the nanites die before he does? Will he go anywhere? Will he see Jack and Ana again? Or will he just fade away? He almost feels upset that he won’t leave any trace of himself behind. He wonders how long Sombra will search before she finally gives up. He hopes it isn’t too long. She doesn’t deserve this.

In the middle of his thoughts, the bottom of his prison dents inwards, and everything stops.

-

_“I am here, Sombra.” Her voice is quiet, as she makes her way through the laboratory._

_“Good. Glad to hear it.” Sombra sounds better than she had before. “Do you still have the program I sent you earlier?”_

_“Yes. I have it loaded as well.” She pulls out a small device, holding it out as she walks. The screen lights up, every time it registers traces of nanites below it. “I am searching now.”_

_“You’ll find him. If anyone can, it’s you.” A soft laugh. “...You always had a tendency to attach to almost lost causes, huh?”_

_“...What?”_

_“I know who you are, Amari.” She sighs. “I’m not threatening you. Your attachment to Overwatch’s most trouble seeking is why I know that only you can find Reaper. You can do what others cannot.”_

_Ana pauses, before she keeps searching. “...How long have you known?”_

_“An hour.”_

_“Hmm. Losing your touch.”_

_“Don’t let it get to your head.” She chuckles softly, before she becomes serious again. “...Find him. Please.”_

_“I will. Good luck searching, Sombra.” She sighs after she disconnects from the call, continuing her way through the labs. She finally stops when she finds a room filled with discarded equipment, looking around. She stops again when the device beeps at her, looking over at what she passed._

_It’s heavily dented, and partially looks like someone attempted to break it open, but it looks almost like an old gas can. The object looks new, other than the dents, but the shape calls up memories of gas stations and long walks._

_She shakes her head, reaching over and tapping it at the place an opening spout would be. She raises an eyebrow when a keypad pops up above it._

_She picks it up, concern causing her to shiver. She might not know much about the Reaper, but she does know that people don’t fit in such a small space. Especially not when they’re alive._

_She takes one more look around, before she leaves the building. And if she’s moving quicker than she was before, no one else is around to know._

-

_“Wake up, Soldier.”_

_76 growls, slowly opening his eyes. “Fuck you.”_

_The man smiles at him. “Morning. Or is it afternoon? I suppose you don’t know.”_

_He glares. He’s much weaker than he remembers being even the day before. Or at least, what he considers to be a day ago. He can barely sit up. His bones are showing through his skin. He’s even paler than usual. His bloody wounds look infected._

_The man laughs. “I wanted to tell you something, Soldier. Remember your friend Reaper? He came looking for you.”_

_He doesn’t outwardly react._

_“He won’t be saving you, though. Do you remember the Pod? Sure you do. That was only a few days ago, after all.”_

_He stills._

_“We put him in a Pod. Haven’t decided what to do with him, though. The top three choices are bury him, crush him, or throw him into the ocean. I voted for ocean. What’s your vote?”_

_“...You...”_

_“Hmm?” The man smirks. “What’s the matter, Soldier?”_

_76 closes his eyes, focusing on his breathing. “...Isn’t he too much of an investment to kill?”_

_The man blinks, before he chuckles. “Oh, Soldier, you don’t know.” He stands. “Reaper’s an old project, an experiment gone awry. She doesn’t want him anymore. She hasn’t for a long time. He’s...outlived his usefulness.”_

_He opens his eyes again. “...She?”_

_“Well, you don’t need to worry about her. Not yet, at any rate.” The man grins. “She’s been looking for a new experiment. I think she might be interested to get her hands on you. Then, and only then, will you need to worry. And by then, it will be too late.” He moves over to the door. “...Are you going to answer any of our questions sometime soon, Soldier? Or will we have to go after the Shrike?”_

_“Can’t. She’s too smart for you. All you’ll get is me. And I won’t tell you anything if I die before you break me.” It’s a fail of a taunt, but he’s willing to do almost anything for survival. Almost anything. He’s not fully gone, yet. He hopes he never will be._

_“Hmm. We’ll see.” The man leaves._

_76’s breathing is rough, again. He squeezes his eyes shut. He thinks about the Reaper, his ally, his...friend. “...Another one of my failures.” He murmurs to himself, tears slowly falling. “...She won’t fall for their tricks. All I have to do...is refuse to break. They’ll snap before I do.” He sighs, wishing he could rub at his face, but the bindings around his wrists just feel painful, and he’s long given up trying to move._

_“...Hey Gabe?” 76 continues, opening his eyes and looking towards the ceiling. He smiles a broken smile. “...Take care of the Reaper for me, okay? You two’ll have plenty of gossip to share with each other. I’ll join you two soon.” His smile falls, and he closes his eyes again. “...I’ll see you soon.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, it seems the boys have gotten themselves into quite the mess.


	8. Chapter Seven

When Gabriel comes to, it’s slowly, in a place he doesn’t realize at first. He cautiously opens his eyes, feeling at ease when he realizes he has eyes to open. He slowly sits up, looking around. He smiles when he recognises where he is.

He’s in Sombra’s room, on the rarely used bed. He’s not wearing his coat and mask, but he’s got a soft blanket over him.

That’s when he abruptly remembers exactly what had been going on when he was last conscious. He startles hard, making himself dizzy, tensing as he hears steps on the other side of the room.

Sombra paces as she types on her keypad.

He blinks, groaning softly as he slumps back against the pillows.

“...How is he?” A voice speaks, suddenly, with an electric tinge to it. It’s a voice he recognises, and he tenses up.

“He seems to be doing okay.” Sombra’s reply is quiet. “He’s got everything he should, he hasn’t lashed out and killed anyone, so I think he’s okay.”

“Good to hear. When I-”

“I know. I did too. But everything’s fine. And I’m still working on finding him, too, so we should be back up to four soon.”

“Thank you for your help, Sombra.”

“No worries. Thank you for yours.” She chuckles. “Keep safe out there.”

“And you do the same.” The voice fades out.

Gabriel sighs.

“Oh, hey big guy. How’re you feeling?” Footsteps make their way over to him.

He opens his eyes. “...Why did you do that?”

She blinks, confusion on her face. “...Huh?”

“You let her leave.”

“...You heard her?”

He feels tears forming in his eyes, and he doesn’t have the energy to care. “I thought you said you couldn’t hack my dreams. Why did you do it?”

“I...What? I said that because I-” She looks him over, shaking her head. “...Anyway, good afternoon.”

“...How long have I been out?”

“Only two days, luckily. I’ve almost got a read on 76’s co-ords, too, so you haven’t missed anything.”

“...How soon do you expect to-”

“Within a few days. Widow helped out a bit, told me some stuff I hadn’t noticed. And I called in a few favors.” She smiles. “We’ll have him back soon. You rest up, I’ll try to wake you when we’re ready.”

He slowly nods, closing his eyes and falling asleep quickly.

-

“You absolute dumbfuck.”

Gabriel grumbles, looking to the side. “Fuck off, 76. This happened because I’ve been worried about you, jackass.”

76 crouches at his side, looking over the destroyed base yet again. “That’s not my fault.”

“Yes it is.”

“We’ll agree to disagree.” He tilts his head. “You all in one piece?”

“Reletively.”

“Good.” He sets the rifle to his side. “It’d be hard for you to save my sorry ass if you were dead.”

Gabriel sighs. “Is there a reason you decided to interrupt my sleep, 76?”

He’s quiet for a bit. “...Don’t you think it’s a bit suspicious that they knew how to trap you? They played you, and knew all the steps they had to follow.”

“Doesn’t matter.”

“I think it does.” He moves to fully sit. “Mercy doesn’t know much about how, why, you became an edgy smoke monster. It’s not because of her.”

“There’s no one else it could be.”

Even with the visor on, it’s obvious that 76 is giving him a look.

“What?”

“You don’t remember, do you.”

“Stop being obnoxiously cryptic.”

“You made me like this. Bring it up with your own complaints department.” He shrugs. “You’ll remember in time. If you’re not ready, I won’t push it.” He lets his arms fall, rolling his shoulders. “Come get me. Then focus on remembering.”

Gabriel startles as the man next to him turns to smoke, fading away on the breeze. After a moment, he does the same and follows.

-

When Gabriel wakes this time, he’s in a room he very much does not recognise. He sits up quickly, looking around, calming when he sees Sombra sitting at a desk across the room. “...Som.”

Sombra looks up, smiling. “Hey, Reaps. Glad you’re awake. I was starting to get concerned.”

The room is bathed in purple light, numerous screens and holoscreens showing...something, probably, but Gabriel has no idea how any of Sombra’s programs work.

He looks behind him, blinking. “...Why is my pillow a teddy bear? And why are there seven cans of soda on the bed?”

“I would trust no one else with your skull. As for the cans-” She huffs. “Goddamnit. That’s where he put them.”

“He?” He blinks, looking back over at her again. “Wait, we’re about to head out? Where’s the Shrike?”

“She’s in place, keeping surveillance.”

“You found 76?”

“I found where they’re keeping him. We’re gonna have to move out tonight. Lucky that you woke up in time.”

“Where are we?”

“Castillo. My favourite safehouse. My home away from Talon, if you will. You should feel honored.” She stretches her arms, smirking, before she lets her arms and face fall. “He’s being kept deep in the LumeriCo powerplant in Dorado.”

“He got- What would LumeriCo want with him?”

“The Shrike and I think it’s really a section of Talon, using LumeriCo as a cover. Which would explain the payment that went from Talon to LumeriCo a few days ago.”

“...It was a set-up.”

“Probably.” She shrugs. “But I think it was meant to be a trap for the Shrike, not you.”

Gabriel takes a breath. “...We need to talk, after this.”

Sombra’s eyes widen, before she nods. “You got it, Reaps.”

“Y’know, this is fascinating an’ all,” Someone drawls from the doorway, “but we really have to get this done at some point.”

Gabriel tenses, reaching up to his face. He relaxes a bit when he feels the mask in place. “Sombra, what is he doing here?”

“Oh, I’m sorry, is the terrorist ghost not happy to see someone else in his bullshit?” McCree’s voice is harsh.

“Easy, you two. Reaper, I called McCree in on a favor. I didn’t know if you’d wake up in time, and I need the backup.”

He growls, but he relents. “...Fine. What’s the plan?”

“We’re going to head into Dorado near the Mission. It’s easiest to enter there, since it’s such a popular tourist attraction. ...I feel disgusting just saying that. Ugh.” Sombra snaps her fingers, a map appearing on a holoscreen in front of her. She blows it up, tracing a path over it. “We’ll head through the underbelly, the more hidden paths, until we get to the marketplace. After we head through there, we’ll sneak around the back of the church and meet the Shrike at this side entrance.” She taps the map. “Once I get the door open, we split up and search the place.”

“Sounds reasonable.” McCree leans against the wall.

“You need to be careful. Remember the last time you were here?”

“I’m not drunk this time, it’s fine!” He crosses his arms, huffing.

“Ugh.” She shakes her head, looking over at Gabriel. “And you need to be careful. Don’t go pushing yourself too far.”

“And how am I supposed to do that? You know what I look like.”

“You do what you did the last time we were here.”

Gabriel stares, before he groans. “Goddamnit...”

-

Gabriel is silent, but he’s grumbling inside. He’s sliding along the ground, hiding in Sombra’s shadow, doing his best not to let any coils of smoke show his presence. He wants to complain, but he can’t risk getting them caught at this stage. He wishes that Sombra wasn’t taking her time, though. If it wasn’t for the mission, he’d think she was doing it on purpose.

He isn’t paying much attention to any banter or conversation as they travel. He’s paying attention to McCree. He’s missed him, and the fact that they’re so close to each other...but he didn’t lash out. He doesn’t say something. Gabriel assumes that he just doesn’t know. It hurts him more than he expects.

McCree laughs, smirking at Sombra.

Gabriel almost collapses in on himself. He notices Sombra quickly heading off, and follows after. As soon as they get near the church he re-forms, collapsing against the wall.

“...You okay, Reaper?” Sombra looks concerned.

“...I’m fine. You know how I get, like that.” He looks over, seeing that McCree’s standing off with the Shrike.

“...I’m sorry. I wouldn’t have asked him for help if I knew you’d wake up in time.” She pats his shoulder. “It’ll be just a few minutes before we can all split off.”

He sighs, pushing himself to his feet. “My composure doesn’t matter. Getting this mission done is what matters.” He heads over to the other two.

Sombra sighs and follows him.

McCree looks over as Gabriel arrives. “Was wondering when you’d get over here. You pull yourself together, bargin bin smoke machine?”

“Fuck you. You don’t know what-”

“I don’t care!”

Gabriel can’t help but flinch.

“I don’t care.” McCree’s breathing is rough, and he glares at Gabriel. “So you almost died. Who cares? Join the fucking club. Now get your head outta your ass, before 76 dies on your watch-”

He can’t hold himself together, and smoke pours off of him in waves as he slams McCree back against the wall. “I’ll sooner die than fail the people who depend on me again.” He’s snarling, mask close to McCree’s face. “You don’t know who I am. What I am.”

“Yeah? Well you don’t know me either.” McCree shoves him away. “So quit acting like you do.”

“Boys! Quit it” Sombra hisses, as she finally gets the door open. “Stick to the plan.”

“That ain’t a problem.” He adjusts his hat, glaring at Gabriel. “I’m a goddamn professional, unlike that Halloween decoration you work with.” He turns and heads inside, soundless without the spurs or serape.

The Shrike shakes her head, before heading in as well.

Sombra sighs. “Come on Reaps. Let’s go get him back.” She smiles. “Bet I’ll find him first.”

Gabriel finally smiles a bit. “You’re on.”

She waves, before she fades out, soft footsteps making their way into the building.

He looks around, before he falls to smoke and floats inside.

-

Gabriel growls to himself, another guard falling to the ground in front of him. He shatters the soul, breaking it into pieces before his nanites take it away.

He opens up the private channel. “Sombra.”

_“_ _¿Que pasa?_ ”

“The way you sent me. There’s nothing here.”

“There’s guards.”

“Sombra.”

“You’ve been down for days! You need to take, Gabe. You need the energy. Besides, you’re the most quiet out of all of us, when you don’t use your shotguns to take them down.”

“And I haven’t been.”

“Yeah, that was the...” She trails off.

“...Som?”

“ _Mierda_. I just-”

“Sombra?”

“I just- I found some files. Shit. Of course they’d get smarter.” She closes the private channel.

Gabriel clicks back over to the group frequency, ditching the body in a closet.

“You’re sure, McCree?”

“Yeah, I’m sure Sombra.”

“I’m on my way, I’ll be there soon.”

“The Shrike?”

“She’s found some stuff, but she’s on her way too. You hear that, Reaps?”

“Sombra.” He growls.

“I’ll send the ping to you. Get over here as quick as you can.”

“On my way.” He breaks into smoke once more, slipping through vents and doorways, until he arrives nearby.

McCree is standing guard at an open door, gun drawn. “Took you long enough.”

“Stop being a brat. What are you, fifteen?” Gabriel re-forms again, moving into the doorway. He tries to ignore McCree’s flinch at the words.

Inside the room, Sombra is tapping away at one of her keypads. The Shrike is crouched on the floor, gun on her back.

And 76 is in her arms. He’s hurt, and undernourished, but he’s alive.

Gabriel runs over, falling to his knees. “76. You’re alive.”

76 flinches, looking over at him, red visor covering his eyes. His breathing is rough, but his mask is on his face. “...Reaper?”

He rests a hand on the man’s arm. “The one and only.”

“...They said you were dead.”

“They tried hard, but I had people at my back. Like you do.” He can’t keep the smile out of his tone.

The Shrike holds out 76 to Gabriel.

He pulls 76 into his arms. “Let’s get you out of here, yeah?” His heart hurts when he feels a hand clench in his jacket. It’s a familiar feeling.

“They...mentioned someone.”

“Easy now. We can talk about that later, okay?”

The other two leave the room.

“No-”

“76. I mean it. Look at me.”

76 looks up.

Gabriel feels his heart clench. “We can talk about this later. But we need to get you out of here. Safety first. Debrief second.”

McCree leans into the room. “You two coming, or-”

Loud beeping from the hallway interrupts him. Sombra’s eyes widen, as red text floats in front of her keypad. “ _¡_ _Debería haber sabido que se enteraran!_ ”

McCree looks back at her. “What the hell is going-”

The Shrike abruptly yanks him back into the hallway as the door slams down.

“-on!” He stumbles, startling. He moves quickly to the window. “You two okay?”

Gabriel turns on his comm. “We’re fine. Sombra? What’s wrong?”

“They know we’re here! They recognised my signal in their databases. _No debería haber cavado tan profundo_ -”

“So you can’t open anything once it closes?”

“No! They’re overriding me!”

He looks at the three out the window, before looking down at 76. He looks back up. “ _Sal de aquí_.”

“What?” McCree shakes his head. “There’s no goddamn way-”

“We’ll be fine! I have ways to escape that you don’t. Get the hell out of here!”

Sombra and McCree look at each other, before looking back at him. They both nod.

“Don’t make me have to hack my way back to you two again! Two times is enough!”

“You better get both of you out in one piece!”

They both take off down the hallway.

The Shrike watches them go, before looking through the window.

“Shrike. I’ll get him out alive. I promise.”

She tilts her head slightly, before shaking it. She lifts two biotic emitters for just long enough for him to see, then drops them to the floor. She salutes, heading off after the others.

Gabriel sighs, turning off his comm. “ _La mierda que soportamos_...”

76 is shaking in his arms.

“Shit, are you cold?”

“They’ll come back. They’ll-” He coughs, clinging to Gabriel.

He lowers to the ground again. “Hey. Easy. I’m not going to let them hurt you again.”

“I...I can’t do it again. I can’t handle the pod again. I already can’t fucking see right, I can’t lose-”

He tenses. “A Sensory Deprivation Pod?”

He simply nods.

Gabriel feels his blood boil. “You won’t be in one again. No way in hell.” He sets 76 down for just long enough to grab the pulse rifle and toss it into the void for retrieval later. He picks the man back up. “76?”

“Yeah, Reaper?”

“I know this isn’t fair to ask, but this is the only way to get us out of here.” He takes a slow breath. “Do you trust me?”

“What?”

“Do you trust me?”

He pauses for a brief moment. “Yes.”

“Take a deep breath, close your eyes, and try not to panic.”

76 clings tightly to him, taking a breath.

Gabriel looks out the window to the hallway, focusing on his goal and his task.

The two quickly sink down into shadow, and disappear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was giving me so much trouble to write, until McCree forced his way in.
> 
> Also, for clarity's sake: Gabriel remembers McCree. McCree knows that Reaper is Gabriel.  
> But Gabriel assumes that, because he doesn't lash out, that McCree doesn't know. Meanwhile, McCree doesn't press, because he knows that Gabriel never liked being forced into telling anything.  
> So they both act like they don't know each other, here. Including lashing out in ways that they know would hurt the other, because a stranger wouldn't know.
> 
> [Reaper has obtained: 76. Placing 76 in inventory...]


	9. Chapter Eight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a delivery of platonic safety cuddling, flashback romantic safety cuddling, and a small amount of angst. Please enjoy.

‘Shadowstepping’, as Sombra had named it, supposedly looked quick on the outside. She always told him that he would arrive where he intended to within a few seconds. But during the process it feels far longer than that. His attention is split, half focusing on his task, the other half becoming distracted. He’s never tried this with someone else before. He never thought to try, before.

He focuses on making sure that 76 stays intact. ...Well, as intact as you can be when pulled apart in ways that no one, human or omnic, was ever designed to handle.

The rest of him follows the distraction, thinking about Jack. As always. How many times had he had to do a similar thing for him? How many times had he had to pick the man up and carry him to safety? How many times had he had to go after Jack personally to make sure that he didn’t get himself killed?

Jack had never been good at caring for his own well being, Gabriel had learned that early on when he almost lost the younger man in the SEP. He’d tried to break Jack out of that, tried to convince him that he had a reason to care, now.

...But it’s not the time to focus on that. It’s time to rescue the Reaper-

He feels a wave of confusion. That thought makes no sense. He is the Reaper. He’s helping 76.

He feels a very sudden panic when the other half of his consciousness comes flying back, alone. He searches through it, combing through it over and over again. Where is 76? How did he lose him?

Gabriel stumbles as he reforms in the hallway, gasping. He looks down, relaxing when he sees 76 in his arms.

76 groans. “What the hell was that?”

He smiles under his mask. “Good. You’re still here.” A tendril of smoke curls off of him, coiling around the two emitters before dragging them into the void.

“Was that not expected?”

“You sound better, too.” He quickly walks down the hall, looking the man over. “Still have your wounds, but your energy seems up.”

“Answer the question.”

“Aggressive.” He rolls his eyes. “I’ve never done that with someone before.”

“So you had no idea if I would live or not.”

He’s almost disappointed at the answer. He was hoping for a joke, like ‘did you enjoy that?’, or ‘kinky’, or ‘you sound like such a virgin’. The to-the-point answer just reminds him how unwell 76 is right now. “Would you rather fight every person in this building as they all come down on us?” He winces at his own wording.

76 flinches, and looks away. “...Just get us out of here before you piss me off again.”

He takes that as a challenge. “Is that any way to treat your rescuer?”

“Fuck’s sake-”

“I mean, I did help out a lot back there.”

“Why did I have to get stuck with the most talkative out of the bunch...”

“You could always use your words. Do you want me to stop?”

76 abruptly clenches his hand in Gabriel’s coat. “...No.”

Gabriel stops, staring.

“...Don’t stop. Just-” He shakes. “...Don’t talk to me. Just talk.”

“...Background noise?”

“...Yeah.”

“Can do. Just hold onto me, we’ll be out of here in no time.” He starts off again. And if he holds 76 closer, 76 isn’t complaining.

-

Gabriel gently pushes the door closed with his foot, before moving over and setting 76 down on the bed.

He’s not at Sombra’s safehouse. He’s at one of his own; concern over 76’s wounds called to him louder than his urge to group up for more safety. As soon as he’s sure that 76 is still asleep he leaves the room, opening up the private channel again. “Sombra.”

“G- ...Reaps! Are you okay? Where’s 76?” There’s a thud in the background, and muttered cursing in Spanish. She snickers.

“Are you three okay?”

“We’re fine, McCree just got distracted and slammed into a wall. Again.” Sombra snickers again. McCree keeps cursing in the background, though this time it’s directed at her.

“Good. About the fine part, I mean. We’re fine too. ...Why does he keep slamming into walls?”

“He keeps knocking over empty cans, then forgetting that he did, then stumbling because of them and smacking something.” She sighs. “Where are you two?”

“Safehouse. One of mine. We’re still in Dorado.”

“Reaps...”

“I know, I know. But they’re still searching all over town, and the exits are blocked. I have to patch him up.” He sighs. “Once everything calms down, I’ll meet you, okay?”

Sombra grumbles. “ _ Odio esto, y te odio _ .”

“Yeah yeah. I’ll keep you posted.”

“Call if you need anything.”

“Will do.” He ends the connection, before he sighs, walking off to double check what supplies he has in the house.

-

_ Sombra sighs, rubbing at her face after the channel closes. She slowly looks back up. “...What were we talking about?” _

_ “About how you perch on your computer bench like a gremlin.” McCree smirks from where he’s leaning against the wall. He pulls out a lighter, bringing it close to his face. _

_ “Light that in here and I’m throwing you down the cliff.” _

_ “What? You’d do that? I demand a fair trial.” _

_ “Smoke makes me feel sick, jackass.” _

_ He’s quiet, before he closes and puts the lighter away. “...Fair enough. We were actually talking about not hiding secrets from each other.” _

_ “Right.” She adjusts her posture. “Who wants to go first?” _

_ The Shrike raises her hand from where she’s sitting on the bed. _

_ The other two look at her. _

_ She sighs, reaching up and resting a hand on her mask. There is a soft whirr, and a click, before the blue light goes dark. She slowly pulls it off of her face, letting her hand fall to her lap. “...I suppose it is time.” _

_ Sombra smiles at her. “If I may say, Amari, the sketches do not do you justice.” _

_ “Flattery will get you everywhere.” Ana smiles back, before she cautiously looks over at McCree. “...Hello, Jesse.” _

_ He raises an eyebrow, tipping his hat. “Good to see you again, Ma’am.” _

_ She looks surprised, before she narrows her eye. “You are not surprised.” _

_ “D’you really think that Fareeha didn’t tell me when you contacted her? We raised her when you died, and I kept raising her when they died. She tells me everything.” He smiles. “I understand why you didn’t come telling me. But I’m glad I won’t have to pretend I don’t know you anymore. To your face, at least.” _

_ Ana relaxes. “...I’m sorry, Jesse.” _

_ “You’re forgiven.” _

-

Gabriel sighs, finishing wrapping the bandages around 76’s legs. He pulls the cuffs of his pants back down. “That’s all the medical supplies I’ve got. Hopefully it’s enough.”

“...Thanks.” 76 pulls his legs back, adjusting to lie down on the bed.

“Don’t worry about it.” He pauses, finally noticing the other man’s breathing. “...Are you okay?”

“I feel like I’m on fire.”

His eyes widen. “Shit. Just how long have you been injured for?” He presses the back of his hand to 76’s head.

He flinches, groaning. “And you feel like a freezer. How are you so cold?”

“That’s what happens when you’re dead, 76. You’re not really warm anymore.”

76 stills, breath skipping.

“...76?”

“...I thought...” He coughs, curling up slightly. “...You were...”

“76, what’s wrong?”

“I thought you were alive.” He sadly laughs. “Figures I’d fall into dreams again. Was wondering when it would happen.”

“...What-” He blinks. “Fuck. 76, no, you’re misunderstanding me.” He sits on the bed, gently rubbing up and down 76’s arm as he speaks. “...I died once before I met you. I came back, but my body has been cold since.”

“...Talon sure fucks people up, don’t they.”

“Tell me about it. If you knew half the shit they do, you’d feel sick. I know I do.” Gabriel pauses. “...Here. Let me try to help.” He lies down next to him.

76 tenses. “What the hell are you-”

“Easy. You said I’m cold. If you rest against me, it might help cool you down.”

“That’s the worst pickup line I’ve ever heard.”

“Goddamnit, will you be serious for two minutes?” He stays where he is, not moving closer. “You decide. I can go chill a towel for you or something.”

76 is still for a bit longer, before he adjusts to lay on his side closer to him.

He lets his jacket and shirt fade to smoke, pulling 76 closer until the man’s back is flat against his chest. He pulls the blanket up over them, one arm resting over the bandages on 76’s chest.

“No- too hot-”

“The blanket will trap the cold too.” He brings his other hand around, resting it on 76’s forehead.

He groans, before his noises fall to whimpers.

“You’re going to be okay.” His voice is softer, more gentle than usual. “Get some sleep. You’re safe here.”

76 slowly falls asleep, trembling in Gabriel’s arms.

Gabriel dozes off, concern in his heart as he falls into dreams again.

-

“Gabe.”

Gabriel blinks, looking away from the snowy window with a smile. “Jack-” His eyes widen. “Shit.”

Jack looks unwell, shaking almost violently, blanket wrapped around his shoulders. “Help?”

He scrambles to his feet. “What happened? You look half frozen.”

“The recruits and I- we were messing around at the lake.”

“The frozen over lake? Jack-” He scoops Jack up immediately, carrying him through the halls of the hotel. “Of course you’d get yourself into trouble on our time off.”

“You’re warm...”

“Yeah, Jackie, I know. I’ve been the warmer of the two of us for a while. And you tried to become an ice merman, so you’re gonna be a lot colder than me.” He pushes the door open, moving inside and kicking it closed. “You’re dry?”

“They dried me off on the way back. Just cold, now.”

He moves them over to the bed, setting Jack down. “Get comfortable. Take off the rest of your clothes, and turn the heated blanket on.”

“On high?”

“On low. With you being so cold, it might hurt you.” He moves away, locking the door before taking his own clothes off.

“Gabe.”

“What?”

“Boxers.”

“Use your words.”

“Gabe...”

Gabriel chuckles, shaking his head. He leaves his own on, before getting a fresh pair for Jack. He throws them at him. “I forgot you’re a child when you’re sick.”

“I hate going to bed undressed, you know that.” He grumbles, slipping them on before shoving his previous clothes to the floor.

Gabriel walks over, crawling under the covers and pulling Jack into his arms.

“G-gabe-”

“Shh...I’ve got you, Jackie.” He holds him close, concern growing at his shivering. “You’re going to be okay. I’ve got you.”

-

Gabriel startles awake when 76 jerks in his arms. He tightens his grip, trying to figure out what’s going on.

76 cries out, shuddering and shaking.

“Shit...” He thinks quickly, cursing more under his breath. “Infection.”

His breathing picks up, cries falling to whimpers.

“...76. I think I know how to help, but-”

“Do it.” He sounds desperate. “Whatever it is, do it. Please-”

“I need you to say you trust me. It won’t be pleasant.”

“I trust you, I trust you, just fix it-”

Gabriel’s arms and hands tighten, holding 76 in place. “This is going to hurt, and I’m sorry.” He moves the hand on his torso over the bandages, claw resting over one of the worst wounds. “...You’re going to hate me.”

“Better mad than dead. Just get it over with.”

He takes a slow breath, before he presses down with the claw, cutting through the bandages and digging into the wound.

76 cries out, spasming.

“Stop, don’t move, that will make it worse.” Once the claw has dug in, smoke rolls off of him in waves, some drifting down his arm and flowing into the wound.

76 spasms again, trying to pull and squirm away.

“Stop moving and let me help you.” The smoke that remains around him coils around 76, solidifying to hold him in place. He focuses on the nanites in the wound, cursing as they push through partially healed muscle.

76 struggles, starting to panic, his fever addled mind not keeping up with what’s happening to him.

“I was right. It’s infection. Goddamn...” The nanites swarm over the infected muscle, slowly tearing it apart. “They must have pumped something into you to partially heal you up. There’s a pocket behind healed muscle that isn’t healing right.” He removes the claw, nanites flowing back to him. “It might be an issue all your wounds have.”

He gasps, spasming again.

“I’m so sorry. Hold on a bit longer. This is going to hurt.” Gabriel takes a breath, nanites flowing over 76’s body and resting above each wound. He tightens his grip on him, before piercing each wound at once.

76 screams, convulsing, continuing to panic.

“I’m sorry, just- I need a bit more time.”

“Stop- s-stop-” He gasps in pain. “Don’t- please-”

“I’m sorry-”

“Killing me- you’re-”

“I’m not, I promise I’m not- I’m killing the infection, I swear to you.”

76 slowly runs out of energy, slumping against him, whimpering at the pain that remains.

Gabriel removes the nanites once they’re finished, slowly letting him go and reforming. He pulls one of the biotic emitters from the void, setting it on the bed and activating it. “You’re going to be okay. It’s gone. You can heal now.”

76’s breaths are shallow gasps, hands still twitching, fresh blood staining the bandages.

He opens the channel again. “Som.”

“Gabe?”

“I need you. I’m out of medical supplies, he’s hurt worse than I thought.”

“ _ Mierda _ .” There’s a pause. “Okay. We’ll be there soon to get you two to safety. Just hold on.”

He’s about to respond, but Sombra disconnects before he can. He sighs, looking over at 76.

The sight of the man, shivering and whimpering in pain, hurts his soul like nothing else he’s felt recently. It’s an old pain.

He picks up the spent emitter, activating the last one. “They’re coming, 76. You’re going to be okay. I promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are almost at the end of the first arc! I'm so happy that we've gotten this far, and that all of you have stuck with me. Next week will probably be my last chapter until the end of December, since I'll be working on my usual holiday challenge.  
> If I said before that things started to kick off, well...You'll see.


	10. Chapter Nine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will be the last chapter until the end of December. I hope you all enjoy!

Gabriel doesn’t sleep, once he and Sombra get back to base. He paces, and paces, and paces.

He has a schedule. He’s in his room for three hours, searching for cameras and audio recorders. He then calls the Shrike and checks in with her and 76’s recovery. He paces the nearby halls, checking again for hidden recorders. He goes to the kitchen and gets a meal for Sombra, and brings it to her room. He stays there for three hours, talking with her as he checks her room as well. He checks the halls near her, before heading over to check on Widowmaker, spending another three hours checking her room and answering her questions. He checks the halls around her, before he goes to the Inner Circle meeting. He sits there for an hour, being good, before they send him on a minor data collection mission. Once he gets back, he paces back and forth from Sombra’s room to Widowmaker’s.

He eventually returns to his room and starts again.

He doesn’t trust, anymore.

-

_“Jack.”_

_Jack looks up, visor halfway to his face. He shifts slightly on his feet, glancing away to avoid looking as obviously sheepish. “...Hey.”_

_Ana shakes her head, arms crossed. “What are you doing?”_

_“...Uh...getting some fresh air?”_

_“With your visor on.”_

_“...For safety?”_

_“And your gun.”_

_“For safety.”_

_“Jack.” She sighs. “I’m not a fool, you know.”_

_His shoulders slump. “...I want to take a patrol.”_

_“You’re injured, Jack.”_

_“I’m not a child. I’m fine.” He turns away._

_Ana quickly moves over, grabbing his arm. “You’re right, you’re not a child. You would be easier to manage if you were a child. Instead, you are an old man. A stubborn old man who needs to stop pushing himself so much. You will break, Jack.”_

_“No, I won’t.” He doesn’t pull away, but still doesn’t look at her. “SEP changed me, Ana. Changed all of us who lived. The reason I’m even alive right now is because of what they did to me. That isn’t slowing down. It should have, but it isn’t.” He shakes his head. “If anything, it’s picking up speed. And frankly, it’s kind of horrifying.”_

_“...Jack...”_

_“But that’s not the problem right now. I just...” He sighs. “Something’s wrong. Not with me, but...” He finally looks over at her. “I’ve got a bad feeling. Something’s wrong, and someone’s going to get hurt.”_

_“...I’ve checked in with Sombra and the Reaper, and they are alright for now. If you wish to do a patrol, I won’t stop you. I know how you get when you’re like this.” She lets go._

_“Thank you, Ana.”_

_“Be careful, Jack.”_

-

_Sombra waits for Gabriel to leave, before turning on her comm. “Coast is clear.”_

_“How are you all holding up?” McCree responds quickly, voice slightly lowered in volume._

_“I’m fine, mostly. Just annoyed that I can’t find any information that I’m looking for. Widowmaker’s still slowly recovering, and I think she’s remembering more and more.”_

_“And how’s Reyes doing?”_

_“...Not great, in all honesty. He hasn’t slept in days. He’s on edge and paranoid, not that I blame him. Talon’s planning something. I just don’t know what.”_

_“Well, keep in touch, yeah?”_

_“I will.” She pauses. “...Hey Jesse?”_

_“Yeah?”_

_“If shit goes wrong, is that offer still on the table?”_

_He chuckled. “Yeah. For the three of you.”_

_“What about-”_

_“You really think that Ana Amari and her guest don’t have their own offer? Oli.”_

_“Ugh, stop calling me that, it sounds so dumb!” She grumbles. “I never should have told you.”_

_He laughs. “Just teasing, Sombra. Talk to you soon, Winston’s pinged for me three times now.”_

_“Don’t get in trouble, Cowboy.”_

_“No promises.” The line clicks off._

_Sombra sighs, rubbing at her face before she pulls up security camera footage for the base. She flips through the cams for a while, tracking Gabriel as he goes through the halls. Once he goes into his meeting, however, she just flips through the cameras at random. She stops on one of the cams, eyes widening._

_Widowmaker looks around the halls, before heading down a hallway to the outside. She slips out without a trace._

_“...Why is she going to the cameraless part of the base?”_

-

_Jesse feels only slightly bad for lying to Sombra. Only slightly. He raises his hand to his ear. “What’s the weather today, admiral?”_

_“Red sky in the morning.” The voice replies._

_“Shit.” He squeezes his eyes shut, rubbing at his face._

_“We’ve got a problem, Jesse.”_

_“That problem got a name I know?”_

_“Yes, but this one is five letters long.”_

_“Fuck!” He snatches his hat off his head, pressing it against his face. “Fuck fuck fuck!”_

_“Eloquent.”_

_“Don’t fucking sass me. I can’t get over there in time.”_

_A voice speaks up behind him. “Jesse?”_

_“I know. I’ll get over to them and get them out.”_

_“You swear, old man?”_

_“First of all, I’m not old. Second of all, have I ever failed at my job before?”_

_“Well-”_

_“Don’t answer that. I’ll contact you soon.” The connection closes before anything else can be said._

_Jesse groans, pressing the hat even harder against his face. “Nothing can ever be easy, can it?” He mutters to himself._

_“...Jesse?”_

_He startles, pulling off his hat and turning around. “...Genji.” He smiles a bit, but it doesn’t meet his eyes._

_“What was that about?” Genji leans against the doorway, watching cautiously._

_“...Just worried about some friends of mine.” He shrugs, sitting down and looking away._

_“...Do we need to break into a secret base again?”_

_“What?” Jesse blinks, looking back over._

_Genji already has out his datapad. “Depending on where it is, we can get Lena to fly us out in a few hours, and if you take off your spurs we’re all quiet enough to sneak into wherever we need to get to-”_

_“What the Hell- no!” He shakes his head, waving his hands. “Thank you, Genji, but no. It’s under control.”_

_“Is it?” He looks over, tilting his head._

_“...Hopefully.”_

-

_“Widowmaker.”_

_Widowmaker startles, eyes darting around her room. She narrows them. “Sombra, do not try to scare me.”_

_“You’re hiding something.” Sombra pushes herself off the wall, walking closer. “I want to know what it is.”_

_“You are hiding things too.”_

_“From Talon-”_

_“From me.”_

_Her eyes widen, looking up at the taller woman._

_She walks forward, looming over her. “You are not telling me things. I understand why, but that fact remains.”_

_“...How long have you been noticing?”_

_“Do you think I am a fool? I have been hiding my change. From them, mostly. I know what Talon will do to me. Worse than what they did before.”_

_“...I promise that I’ll tell you everything, once we’re safe._

_“I will hold you to that.” She sighs. “I understand that you are helping me. I am just...on edge, at the moment.”_

_“Reaps getting to you?”_

_“I...” She takes a step back. “I have been talking with someone. Someone who says that we were friends, once. He gave me this.” She holds out a small drive. “Said to give this to Reaper, when the time felt right. And said that he owes Reaper twice over.”_

_Sombra takes it gently, nodding. “I’ll get this to him. You have my word.”_

-

“Sombra, I’m here.” Gabriel closes the door, eyebrows raising under the mask. “What’s that?”

Sombra’s perched in her chair again, holding a small drive in her hand. “Widowmaker was given this by a friend.”

“She has a friend?”

“She told me to give it to you. Said it was important.”

“Put it in.” He moves to stand behind her, setting the food on the desk.

She taps on her keypad, plugging the drive into her computer. “He said that he owes you twice over?”

“No one owes me anything. Who the hell...”

Data flies across the screen, different windows opening to show more and more. Government paperwork, transcriptions of audio recordings, personal notes-

Gabriel’s eyes widen, leaning forward. He knows this data. He knows it somehow, but he doesn’t know why...He snarls, leaning back. “No one had this. You would have had to put this together on your own, but who-” He stills.

“Gabe?”

The man turns to smoke, darting away.

“Wait!” She watches him go, before looking back at the screen. She holds out her hand, closing her eyes as she makes a digital copy. She opens them again, removing the drive and hiding it in a pocket close to her skin.

Her attention is grabbed when her screen dings, and a file opens up.

_‘Be careful. She’s back. You all need to get out. There’s not much time._

_-G’_

“What?” She leans forward. “Who-” She startles when the power cuts out, room and screen going dark. She looks around quickly, reaching over slowly to grab her translocator.

A hit over her head interrupts her, sending her to the floor.

-

Gabriel’s mind races as he glides down the halls. Why would someone have that information? Who would go after all of those specifics? This wasn’t your average data lifting job, it was sought out information. Information that he had been searching for, once upon a time.

Information that had hurt people he cared about.

“Maybe one day, a ghost can stop being haunted by dead men.” He mumbles to himself.

Gabriel slips under Widowmaker’s door, reforming instantly. “Widow, who’s-” He stops, looking around quickly. “...What the fuck, where are you?” He moves through the room. “Look, I know I’m early, but...” He trails off. “...She must visit with her friend when I’m not here. Reasonable, but...” He turns to smoke once more, heading back out the door and down the halls. “If I was going to have a meeting, where would I...”

He reforms outside, glancing around. He never liked that this side of the base had no cameras. If there are cameras, Sombra can keep an eye on things. He listens, quietly, but when he hears nothing he climbs the first ladder to the lower roof.

“I did what you asked me to. Now do what I ask!”

He stills, recognising Widowmaker’s voice. He quietly starts climbing the second ladder, listening carefully.

“You have answered many of my questions. You have asked me to do something in return, and I have! So please, do this.” She takes a breath. “Show me your face!”

As Gabriel climbs fully onto the roof, he sees a man standing between him and Widowmaker. The man slowly pulls down his hood. Whatever she sees underneath causes Widowmaker to gasp, flinching and falling to the floor.

Gabriel sees red.

-

_Sombra struggles in the grip of whoever’s dragging her. “Let me go, you absolute-”_

_Someone’s hand gently touches her face. “Shhh.” The hand leaves just as quickly. “I would advise listening to me. I am technically, after all, your boss.”_

_She shudders, before she continues glaring. It would probably be more effective if she didn’t have something covering her eyes. “¡Que te jodan! If anyone’s my boss, it’s Reaper.”_

_“Your department...has changed.” The sound of someone’s shoes on tile paces around her. “You messed with something, someone, that is mine. I cannot take insubordination as lightly as others,” The speaker leans close, whispering, “Olivia.”_

_Sombra snarls, thrashing in the grip of her captors. “Hijo de puta. You kidnapped and drugged her! That doesn’t make her yours!”_

_“Who said that I was talking about Lacroix?”_

_She stops moving._

_“She has remained loyal, despite your best efforts. He, however...”_

_“...What the hell are you talking about?”_

_“Oh, did he not tell you?” The steps around her start again. “What a shame...I had hoped that he would remember our time spent together, but...I suppose it was not to be.” A chuckle. “Certainly explains why he didn’t react, however.”_

_Realization hits her like a truck. “Moira.” She snarls. “You’re the one who hurt him, aren’t you? It wasn’t her!”_

_“She did not help.” Moira’s voice finally has a bit of emotion to it, and it is anger. “She didn’t ever help! She meddled in places she did not belong.”_

_“Oh, and like you didn’t?”_

_“That doesn’t matter. The past does not matter!” She rips the blindfold off of Sombra. “What matters is the here and now. You broke him. You ruined a perfectly good experiment. So now, you will help me fix him.”_

_“Sobre mi cadáver.”_

_“Fine. We can do this the hard way.” She takes a step back. “Put her in.”_

_Sombra startles as she’s moved, looking around. When she sees what’s across the room, she feels herself start to panic. “Fuck-” She tries to reach for her translocator, and curses when she realizes it’s gone._

_“Did you think I would leave you armed, and with an escape?” She follows. “I am not a fool.”_

_“Wait- don’t-” She struggles against the hands shoving her into the pod._

_“I know what makes people tick, Sombra. That is what I am best at.” She smiles. “And I know, that this works on almost everyone. And it will especially work on you.” She steps back. “Close the pod.”_

_“No!”_

_“I will wait as long as it takes, Sombra. But don’t keep me waiting too long, hmm?” The door slams shut._

-

“Get the hell away from her!” Gabriel snarls, moving closer.

The man doesn’t seem to react at all, just looking down at Widowmaker.

He growls, pulling one of his shotguns out of the void, raising it up to fire. He’s caught off guard when the man moves just out of the way, grabbing his arm to lift the gun to the sky. Gabriel narrows his eyes, shoving the man back, bringing the gun up towards the man’s head again. The man grabs Gabriel’s wrist tightly, slamming his other arm into Gabriel’s elbow.

He yells in pain, arm and shotgun fading to smoke to reform at his side. He brings up his other gun in his left hand, pressing it against the man’s chest as he snarls.

The man lightly presses the tip of a knife against Gabriel’s throat, smirking at him. “Isn’t that supposed to be my line?”

Gabriel’s eyes widen under the mask, and he doesn’t pull the trigger. “...Gerard...?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So! :D  
> The next chapter will be the last one of the 'first arc', if you will. The 'we work for Talon' arc. but all arcs that are part of this main storyline will be staying in this work, so no need to worry!  
> As I have said before, the reason there will not be a chapter is due to me doing my (new as of last year) tradition of a challenge I call 'The Twelve Days Of Fic-mas'. Keep an eye out in the series I set up for this entire story, or on my Tumblr, because at the moment I think all twelve days will be backstory things that happened in this world!  
> If you have any things that you want to possibly see written from the past of this story, feel free to send a message on my Tumblr at confusedfanunit.tumblr.com , or leave a comment here that you don't mind me leaving unpublished ^_^ (Since there doesn't seem to be a messaging system on AO3 [that I can find, at least], this seems like the next best option? But I have anon on on my blog if you'd prefer that way.)  
> I'll see y'all (here, at any rate :3 ), on the other side of the holiday!


	11. Chapter Ten

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It took a while, but I finally was able to get this chapter finished. Sorry for the wait.  
> Enjoy.

Gabriel feels like everything's shattering under his feet. “Gérard...” The shotgun falls to smoke. “How...” He harshly grabs Gérard's shoulders. “You died! I was- I found your room, your blood-”

Gérard's smile falls, as he supports Gabriel's weight. “...Are you okay?” His voice is strained, strangely airy, and while he doesn't take heavy breaths while he speaks, he does many small ones after his words, quiet but there.

Gérard looks so much like how Gabriel remembers him. His slicked back hair is still short, and he still has his mustache, though there's much more grey than before. Small scars litter his face, noticeable even under the foundation he wears. His usual light clothing is replaced with boots, dark pants, and a large jacket, the sleeves reaching down to cover half his hands, even as he moves them. He has a scarf wrapped securely around his neck. His stance, his arm movements, they are steady but slightly shaky.

Gabriel feels like he's drowning. He's missing important parts of the puzzle, and he's afraid. “How-”

“I'll explain everything later. But, right now, we need to gather everyone up, and get out of here.”

“Why? Why do we have to leave now?”

Gérard sighs quietly. “Your mission has been compromised. It has been for a while.”

He startles, at that. “What? No- I’ve been careful, I’ve been so careful-”

“Careful doesn’t matter, Reyes. The deck’s been stacked against you the whole time. Probably since before you even joined Talon.”

He feels even more like his world is falling apart around him. “What? But- how? How did they know? Why do we have to run?”

“The answer to those two questions has the same answer. Because of Her.”

He feels desperate. “Because of who, Gérard?”

“Because of Moira, Reyes.”

Gabriel’s shaking, and he doesn’t know why. “What? O’Deorain...No, it can’t...”

“...Reyes?”

“It can’t be- she went missing, months before-”

“Reyes!”

“I would have known, she would have known- How? How did I not know? If she knew, why did she let it happen for so long?” He looks down at his hands, barely able to see them. He can’t tell if it’s his vision, or his smoke. “...What’s Talon been doing to me...Dios mío...”

“Gabriel!”

That snaps Gabriel back. He’d never called him by his first name, back then. Always ‘Reyes’, or ‘Commander’, never once ‘Gabriel’. He looks up at him, still shaking. “Gérard...”

“I came here to get you, and your friends, out of here.” Now his breaths are rough. “We need to go. We can talk later, and I’ll tell you everything I know. Okay?”

“Okay. I'll...” He manages to pull himself together, but just barely. “I'll get Sombra.”

“I'll meet up with you after I collect Amélie's things. Get going, Commander.”

Gabriel jerkilly nods, before fading to smoke and darting off the roof.

-

“Fuck.” Gabriel's searched the entire room. “Fuck!” He rushes over to Sombra's computer, ripping off his glove and pressing his hand to the holoscreen. It scans for a moment, before a program opens. “...Fuck!”

“Why are you cursing?” Gérard walks into the room, Amélie unconscious in his arms. “Where's the hacker?”

“Missing. Shut up.” He blinks, looking over. “...One bag?”

“That's all Amélie had besides her gun.”

“Give me that.” He snatches the bag and throws it into the void, moving back to the computer.

“What the fuck did you just-”

“I'm holding it. Shut up. Stop asking stupid questions.”

“When did you get the ability to-”

“I said stop asking stupid questions.”

“How is any of this a-”

“What did I just fucking-”

They're both interrupted by a bing on the computer.

Gabriel reaches up, putting his hand on the screen again. He curses quietly as it turns off. “I've got her last known location. Let's move.”

Gérard stops him, hand on his arm. “...I meant it, earlier. Are you okay?”

“One of my good friends just came back from the grave, I have to run from an infiltration I've been doing for years, and I haven't slept in weeks. No, I'm not okay. But I can be, if we all get out of here. Now get out so I can grab her stuff and we can go.”

“Yes sir.”

-

“Fuck.”

“What’s wrong?” Gérard holds Amélie close in his arms as they run.

“Her signal’s not moving. She’s always moving, when not in her room.”

“So something’s wrong.”

“No shit.” He stops, pressing himself against the wall. “Through this door. Hang back.”

“You don’t have to tell me twice.”

He pushes the door open, slipping inside. His eyes widen. “...Mierda.”

“What’s wrong now?”

“Don’t- just, stay there.” He cautiously moves forward, alarmed. “¿Por qué hay tantos aquí?” He whispers to himself.

The only things in the room are the Sensory Deprivation Pods; most are lined up against the far wall. Each is double his size, but he knows better. The walls are so thick that there’s barely any space to fit curled up. Their doors are all closed.

There is a lone Pod in one corner, one that must have been added recently since it’s not in the line with the others. The door is open, and dried blood stains are inside. There are bloodied fingerprints and handprints, but it looks as if it had to be someone with gloves. The prints are smooth.

He shudders, moving to the pod that’s closest to the last received signal. He takes a shaky breath, resting his hand on the surface. “...Sombra...How do I get you back...”

He startles slightly when a keypad projects out in front of him. He blinks at it, before slowly punching in a set of numbers. He doesn’t know why, he doesn’t remember ever being on the outside of one of these things and he knows for a fact that Talon didn’t have a training on them, but he feels like those numbers will work. He feels sick when they do.

The door opens with a hiss, and as he reaches to open it further it swings forward, a hand reaching out in an instant and digging claws into his arm.

“Sombra?”

Sombra’s hyperventilating, purple lights all along her flickering. She twitches. Her eyes are dim.

“Hey, hey- Sombra.” He pulls her out of the pod, collecting her in his lap on the floor. “You’re okay, now.”

She flails in his arms, trying to escape. Her movements are jerky, panicked, and lacking her usual stregnth.

“Oli.”

She stills.

“Oli, es Gabe. Estás fuera ahora. Estarás bien. ¿Lo entiendes?”

She slowly nods.

“Bueno. Vuelve ahora. Vamonos.”

“Leaving?” Her voice is rough, strained.

“Yeah. We’re getting out.” He smiles slightly. “Can you look at me?”

She blinks, before she roughly shakes her head. Her eyes slowly brighten. She blinks again, before looking up at him.

“There you are. Welcome back. I know reconnection can take you a while. Can you walk?”

She shakes her head.

“Okay, that’s fine. I’ll just carry you.” He stands up. “I already got all your stuff. Let’s go.” He quickly leaves the room.

Gérard’s eyes widen. “What happened?”

“She’s augmented herself to be able to connect to electronics and the internet at will. She was in something that disconnected her from that. She’s recovering from reconnecting to it all at once.”

“I’ll be fine.” Her voice is still rough. “Let’s go already.”

Gabriel nods, taking off down the hall, Gérard following after him.

“...Who the fuck is he?”

“That’s Gérard, Som.”

“LaCroux? But-”

“Yeah. He hasn’t told me the details yet.” He slams the door to the garage open with his shoulder, running over to a van. His smoke slips through a crack in the door, opening it from the inside. “Gérard, you and Amélie in the back.”

“I call shotgun.”

“No shit, Sombra.” He sets her down, moving around the car and climbing into the driver’s seat while Gérard jumps in with Amélie.

“Get us out of here!”

“Working on it.” He slams the door closed, revving the engine and driving out as quickly as possible.

-

“So...” Sombra rests with one arm behind her head, feet kicked up on the dashboard. She looks at her nails on her free hand. “What exactly is the plan?”

“Well,” Gérard starts, running his hand through Amélie’s hair as she sleeps. “I’ve got a contact at Overwatch. Figured we could go there.”

“We’d need to pick up someone first. If we’re compromised, then neither of them are safe.” Gabriel’s eyes are still on the road.

“Who?”

Sombra glances back. “Soldier 76. And the Shrike.”

“...You’re kidding.”

Gabriel growls, fingers digging into the steering wheel. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”

“They’re all masked fighters working towards the same goal.” Sombra watches Gérard closely. “Why wouldn’t they work together?”

Gérard looks back at her, before he nods slightly. He relaxes back against the seat. “Just poking fun at Reyes. I didn’t know he could make friends.”

“They’re not my-”

“Don’t lie, Gabe.” She smirks.

“Fuck off. Gérard, call your contact. Sombra, call 76.”

“Got it, boss.”

“Okay, asshole.”

-

76 raises a hand to his communicator as soon as it makes a noise. “Sombra. What’s going on?”

 _“76, you-”_ She coughs. _“Sorry. You two okay?”_

“We’re fine.” He looks at Ana. “Are you hurt?”

_“I’ll be fine. Look...we’re leaving.”_

He tenses. “What?”

 _“We’re compromised. They...figured out what we were doing. We’re leaving.”_ She takes a breath. _“We have a contact at the new Overwatch. We’re...going there. We think you two should join us.”_

He’s quiet, sighing as he looks away. “...Maybe it’s time.”

_“What was that?”_

“Where do we need to meet you?”

_“Uh, you know the base we were at? The closest city to that. We’ll figure out extraction from there.”_

“Acknowledged. See you soon.”

 _“See you.”_ The connection clicks off.

He sighs again, looking over at Ana. “They’ve been discovered. They’re going to Overwatch. Said we should join them.”

“And you agreed, I see.” She smirks.

“Shut up.” He’s smiling, despite himself. “Get your gear and let’s move.”

“Of course, Commander.” She chuckles, walking away.

“I told you to stop calling me that!”

“Sorry, I can’t hear you! I’ve walked too far away!”

“Ana!”

-

Jesse startles as his comm buzzes in his ear. He holds up a finger. “Sorry, Fareeha, but I gotta take this.”

Fareeha smirks, waving him away. “Go on, Cowboy.” She walks off.

As soon as she’s around the corner, he answers the ping. “Admiral. How-”

_“Drop it. I need your help.”_

He feels his anger rising. “What the fuck did you do?” He storms down the halls. “You said you had this under control!”

_“I did. And now, I need help.”_

“Stop sounding so smug, asshole.” He stops outside Genji’s room, sighing. “What do you need?”

_“Evac. I’ve gotten them out, but I need help bringing them back.”_

“Back...? They’re coming to Gibraltar?”

_“Yeah, plus two.”_

“76 and Shrike?”

_“Got it in one.”_

“Goddamnit.” He takes a breath. “Send me the coords. I’ll be there as soon as possible.”

_“Thanks, kid. See you soon.”_

“I’m not a-” He huffs when the connection closes. “...kid.” He shakes his head, before knocking on Genji’s door.

It opens quietly, a figure floating in the doorway. “Hello, McCree.”

“Zenyatta. Shit, am I interrupting your meditation?”

“No, we were simply conversing. I take it you need Genji?”

“Yeah. Thank you.”

“Of course.” He floats back into the room.

A few moments later, Genji leans out of the doorway. “Jesse? What’s going on?”

“Remember when you asked me if I needed help? Because I need help.”

“Where are we going? What are we doing?” He steps out of the room. “Should I call Lena?”

“Okay, yes to the last question, and the answer to the other two questions is that we’re going after an idiot.”

His smirk is obvious in his tone. “Gérard got into trouble again?”

“More than just him.” Jesse can’t keep the smile off his face. “We’re bringing them back.”

Genji lifts his hand, removing his visor. His eyes are wide. “...He’s coming home?”

“Him. And Ana. And Jack.”

His smile shows in his eyes. “They’re all coming home.”

“Yeah. We’re bringing them home.”

 

-

 

A figure moves across the room to the open Pod, examining it with distaste. “She got away.”

“Y-yes ma’am.” The talon guard tenses up. “We didn’t even know they w-were leaving until they were already gone.”

“Hmmph. A failure of a high magnitude. How unfortunate.” She turns around, looking at the bloodied Pod. “That still has not been cleaned, yet?”

“No ma’am-”

“Good. I want run some tests.” She walks to the doorway. “Shut all those down, would you?”

“What-” The guard is still tense, afraid. “Ma’am, all the others are still occupied. If we shut off the power, the air flow-”

“I know what it will do. I did build them.” She turns around, stern look back in place. “They were only for decoys. Shut them down. I’ll send someone to take care of them later.”

“...Y-yes ma’am.”

“Good. Dismissed.” She walks out of the room.

A woman smiles up at her. “Doctor.”

“You heard what we talked about, didn’t you?” She smiles a bit, walking down the hallway.

“Of course I did. I’ll send the crews in an hour or two. That should be long enough to wait.” She follows after her. “So, if I may ask, what’s the plan?”

“We wait. I have my suspicions, and, well...” She chuckles. “If I’m right, this will be one hell of a show.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So! That's the end of the first arc! I know that there will be at least three arcs, and I don't know how long each one after this will be. But they'll all be staying here in this story, so don't worry.  
> I hope you all enjoyed it! Again, I'm sorry for the delay. My intention was to surprise everyone with a Christmas update, but due to illness, personal and work difficulties, and combined stress, I was unable to do so. But it's here now!  
> Thank you so much for reading. It really means a lot to me that people come back to read and enjoy this.


	12. Chapter Eleven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay. I've been hitting some writer's block lately, but now that some stressful stuff has gotten taken care of, hopefully I'll be able to write more again.

He’s barely physical, when they land at Gibraltar.

He’s got a solid shell, but the inside is swirling. He’s not paying attention to anything that goes on around him. Sombra talks to someone. Gérard leads him somewhere. A door shuts, and he’s alone.

He shatters. The smoke swirls around the roof, coiling on the floor. He can’t handle this. He can’t. He’s been compromised for years, and who knows what’s been done in that time? Moira’s part of Talon, but all he remembers about her is her persistence and her work ethic. Gérard is alive. He’s alive, and breathing, he never died, he never died-

A distressed wail flows from him. Why did he get to live, but Jack- No, he can’t think that, he’s just upset, that’s not fair- it’s not fair-

He hears a click in his ear, before the sound of waves envelop him. His smoke slowly moves to flow in time with the sound, and his thoughts slowly calm.

He drifts off to a much needed sleep.

-

Gabriel wakes up in a bed that he remembers, and he tenses up. He slowly looks to the left.

“Ahem.” A voice speaks from the right.

He stills. “...Hey, Angela.”

“Hey!? You’ve been doing this for God knows how long, and all you can do is say hello??” Angela huffs, pacing along the bed. “I wish I could say I was surprised, but I am not.”

He looks over to her, a nervous smile on his face. “I’ve...been busy...?”

“Busy??” Wrong answer. “You absolute idiot! I thought you were dead after you left my med bay and stopped contacting me! I mourned you twice!”

“Angie, I didn’t want you to be in danger.”

“You’ve been in Talon! I am already in danger from being part of Overwatch, and you know this!” She sighs, rubbing at her eyes.

“I’m sorry.” He sits up. “But maybe it’s good I left you out of this.”

She blinks at him. “...Why?” She moves closer. “...What happened to make you come home, Gabriel?”

“...Moira came back. She’s...apparently been part of Talon for a long time, and...I didn’t know.” He presses at his face. “I didn’t even know.”

She tenses for a moment, before she calms. “...Don’t worry about that now. Can you tell me how you feel?”

He blinks. “What?”

“Pain. Are you in pain?”

“I...No? Not any...more than usual.”

“Good. I was worried, but Sombra reassured me that your reactions were usual for your level of lack of sleep.”

“How long was I out?”

“It’s been almost five days. You needed the rest.” She nods. “...Gabriel. She told me you want to keep your identity a secret.”

“I do. I can’t...I can’t tell them yet, Angie. I will eventually, but...Not yet. Please let me have that.”

“...You’ll need something else to wear. You can’t wear all that leather around the base.”

“I’ll make a new one. Fuck, angie, I just-”

“I know.” She rests a hand on his shoulder. “We’ll come up with something. For now...go back to sleep. You deserve the rest.”

He looks upset for a moment, before he nods. “...Okay.”

-

Gabriel’s not exactly pleased when he’s pulled into a ‘meeting’ with Winston, but he knows what to expect. Mostly.

Gérard stands at the right side of the table, arms crossed. Jesse stands at the left side of the table, hand on his hips.

He hadn’t expected that. But he’s pretty sure he can deal with it.

Winston glares at him from across the table.

“I’m just as happy to be here are you are.” He leans back in his chair. “Can we get this over with?”

“Do you really think you’re allowed to ask me to do things?”

He rolls his eyes, even though they’re still hidden behind his mask. “You don’t have to play the tough guy.”

“Why are you here, Reaper? Why the Hell should we let you in here?” Winston leans forward. “Why are both Gérard and McCree vouching for you? Why?”

That’s news to him. “I’ve been trying to take down those who destroyed Overwatch.”

“Oh really? Then why did you come here and attack me? You could have killed Athena!”

“I could have killed you too. Come on, Winston, I know you’re not an idiot. I shot your armor, not you. I dropped that model on you, instead of shooting you in the head.”

“And?”

“I knew you could handle it. If I hadn’t come to do the mission, they would have sent someone else.” He leans forward too. “I failed on purpose, because if I hadn’t come here at all, you would be dead right now.” He leans back again, crossing his arms. “You’re welcome.”

Winston huffs, looking over to Jesse. “...Why are you vouching for him?

“I’ve fought with him. He put himself at risk to protect Soldier: 76, even though they were technically on different sides. He’s trying to make up for the past.” Jesse nods. “I trust him.”

Gabriel looks slightly away. He feels a bit sick.

“Gérard?”

“I’ve been watching him for months. He’s dug up more information than any of us would have gotten. He was helping Amelie recover from her medically induced brainwashing. I trust him.”

Winston sighs. “...Reaper, show your face.”

He startles. “What?”

“You won’t have to hide. Show your face.”

“No.”

“...Excuse me?”

“No. You- you don’t want to see this.” He’s panicking.

“Show us.”

“No!”

“Reaper-”

Gabriel growls. “Fine. You want to see this?” He feels his face dissolve, swirling around under his hood. “Here’s what’s behind my damn mask.” He rips the mask away.

Jesse doesn’t bat an eye. Gérard flinches.

Winston recoils. “...What are you?”

“You’re gonna have to ask O’Deorain. I wouldn’t know.” He presses the mask back in place. “Can I go now?”

“...Of course. Gérard?”

“Come on.” Gérard walks over. “Let’s go.”

-

Jack paces through the halls. He can’t help it, staying still makes him antsy. He barely sleeps these days anyway, and he’s already been kicked out of the training rooms too many times. So pacing will have to do.

He hears a step behind him as he passes the kitchen, and he turns around. “...McCree.”

“Soldier.” McCree tips his hat. “...Come on in.”

He stands there for a moment, before he enters the kitchen. “Why-”

“I want to talk to you.”

He’s quiet. “What-”

“Soldier.” He sighs, rubbing at his face. “Remember when you got kidnapped back in Dorado?”

He bristles. “Unfortunately.”

“You remember-”

“Get to the point, McCree.”

“I was there when Ana found you.”

He tenses.

“Oh come on, you thought I didn’t recognise her? I was trained for disguise. That’s not hard you spot.” He looks up at Jack. “You’re not, either.”

He sighs. “Jesse-”

“I saw your face, old man. Recognised you in a heartbeat. And even if I hadn’t, there’s no one else that Ana would trust to have her back.” Jesse sighs, too. “Look. I know you’ve got your reasons. Just...remember that we’re still your family, yeah?”

Jack’s shoulders slump. “...Don’t see why you’d want to be. I-”

“Nope.” He holds up a finger. “None of that. Not right now. Come sit down and drink coffee with me. Already.”

The offer is tempting. Oh so tempting. “...I should get some sleep, Jesse. Coffee won’t help that.”

He smirks. “Then go get to bed, old man.”

“I’m not that old.” Jack smiles despite himself.

“Yeah yeah. Go on, get.” Jesse snickers. “Before Ana finds you, and you get in trouble.”

-

Jack’s used to nightmares at this point, but some still throw him for a loop.

He can’t see, not quite. He sees rough blobs and lights, but nothing clear. His joints click and whirr as he moves, but for some reason that doesn’t surprise him. He was made. Designed. Build for combat. Of course.

He’s fighting. He can’t see who, but he’s fighting a losing battle, liquids splattering against his metal frame. He can’t win. He’s only one. He can’t.

He runs, trying to get away. He’s going to die if he doesn’t. He hears screeching, panicked beeps and screams, as he takes off. Bullets shred through his arm, gears clicking uselessly as it hangs at his sides. Rockets slam home in his back, sending him sprawling. He tries to push himself up, but he can’t, his legs won’t move anymore and he can’t drag himself one handed. He trembles, waiting for the eventuality.

Instead, a gentle hand touches his shoulder. Human, flesh and blood. Why? The human rolls him over, holding him in his arms.

‘I know you.’ He tries to say, but all that comes forth is a pain filled chirp.

The human seems to understand anyway.

He’s rocked back and forth, his cold metal parts slowly warming, turning to flesh. The more human he becomes, the more he clings to the other man. His breathing is strained, and peppered with coughs. “Please,” He struggles to speak. “Don’t leave...”

The man gently pets at his hair.

“Promise me.” His voice breaks.

He leans closer. “...I-”

An explosion interrupts. Jack is sent flying, crashing to the ground with a series of metallic clanks. He slowly looks down at his broken metal hands, before he curls up into a ball. His robotic wail echoes around him.

 

Jack wakes to tears on his face. He reaches to his side table, grabbing a small bottle and slamming back the liquid. He looks at it once it’s empty.

He’ll need more whiskey.

-

Ana looks up at the door in front of her, taking a slow breath. She knows she needs to do this. She’s wanted to for years, but always came up with an excuse. But now that they’re both at the same base...

‘Just go talk to him, Mom.’ Fareeha’s voice echoes in her mind. ‘What do you have to lose?’

She takes one more breath, before she knocks at the door.

It’s opened in moments, Reinhardt standing in the entryway. He’s out of his armor, just wearing lounge clothes. He smiles softly at her. “I see the fabled Shrike has come to visit me. Quite the honor.”

Her hands shake. She never expected to hear his voice again, deciding she did not deserve to long ago. It’s almost too much to bare. She reaches up, slowly pulling her mask away.

He smiles more fondly this time. “Ana. It is so good to see your face.”

“You are...not surprised?” Her voice is strained.

“No.” He looks a bit sheepish. “...Fareeha told me, soon after she started speaking to you again. We felt that, if you wanted to return, it should be your decision.”

Her world is tilting. “...You waited for me?”

“All this time.” There’s more to his words, and she knows it. Knows he doesn’t just mean ‘then’, that he means ‘until now’. That he never stopped.

He reaches out his hand to her. “...Why don’t you come inside? We have much to talk about.”

She slowly takes it, following him in and closing the door behind her.


	13. Chapter Twelve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this is a quick chapter after the last one, but I filled the notebook I had been writing this in, and I felt inspired.  
> This is the first time I have ever filled a notebook before. 133 pages, every single one of them covered with words. I can't really express how emotional I am about writing this much, and how much I appriciate every single one of you that reads this story. It started out as a tiny little under 100 words drabble, and now I've written over 30k, and we're nowhere near the ending yet.  
> Thank you all so much for helping me be motivated to do this. It means the world to me.

“You have been well?” Reinhardt asks, sitting in a chair near the bed. “Or as well as we can be, in this profession?”

“I...Yes.” Ana stands nearby, not knowing quite what to do.

“You may sit, if you’d like.” He smiles at her.

“...Yes.” She sits down on the edge of the bed. “...I am...sorry for my behavior. I am a bit...”

“Anxious?”

“Unsure. I did not know how this conversation would go.”

“You thought I would be mad at you.” He clasps his hands together. “Am I correct?”

She slowly nods.

“If it helps ease your worries, I am not angry. I was upset when I had first found out, but I have had time to come to terms with it. To process...this.” He smiles again. “Why did you decide to come to me now?”

“Fareeha convinced me. And...” She smiles a bit in return. “I missed you.”

“Oh, did you?” He chuckles, holding out a hand.

She takes it. “I did.”

“Well, perhaps we could spend some time together, again. That is, if your friend does not mind.” He raises an eyebrow. “I’m not overstepping, am I?”

Ana snickers. “No, no you’re not. He won’t mind. Though...I should tell you.” She sighs.

“...What is it?”

“Reinhardt...you cannot tell anyone else.”

“I will not. You have my word.”

“...Soldier 76. He’s Jack.”

Reinhardt’s eyes widen. “...Morrison? Our Jack?”

“Who else would I trust to have my back other than one of you?” She smiles.

“This is wonderful news! You and Jack have survived and found each other. And now, you are here, safe and sound.” He grins. “I don’t suppose you have any other surprises up your sleeves?”

She shakes her head, looking away. “...No. Gerard found his way here of his own accord.”

“...You and Jack are-”

“Alone, yes.”

His smile falls. “...I suppose it was unlikely.” He looks towards the door. “...How has he been handling this?”

“As badly as you would expect. He only started taking care of himself after I found him again, and even then it’s the bare minimum.” She sighs. “He’s started drinking again.”

“...Worse than I had hoped.” He moves to sit next to her, pulling her into a side hug. “Maybe he needs to connect with the others, again.”

“You think he would do that willingly? He would rather hide in a room until he rots. He does not want to be here.”

“Perhaps, what he needs is a nudge.”

“And how do you suggest I do that?”

He chuckles. “Perhaps by leading by example?”

She blinks. “...Are you saying-”

“Come clean. Stop hiding in the shadows. Let yourself have allies, again.”

“...Perhaps you are right.” She leans against him.

He smiles, hugging her close. “I try to be.”

-

Gabriel had been having a normal morning, all things considered these days. He wandered the halls after using the training room, bored out of his mind. Sombra was busy, Gerard was busy, Amelie was in the med bay, and 76...

Who knows where 76 is?

But he had taken a turn down the hallway past the briefing room, which led to now; Gabriel shaking harshly, digging his nails into his arms.

Because through the window, he had seen her. She’s alive. Ana is alive. Ana-

He shatters to smoke, darting into a room and shutting the door behind him.

“Excuse me,” Athena begins. “No one is allowed in this room except-”

“Protocol Override Code: 732737.” He slowly reforms on the floor, sitting, arms wrapped around himself.

“Acknowledged. Welcome back, Command...er. ...Excuse me. I am confused. Records indicate your death, Commander Reyes. Were they filed erroneously? I can correct them, if you’d like.”

“...Please don’t. No one can know, Athena. Not yet.”

There is a pause. “...Commander, perhaps it might be in your best interest to-”

“No, Athena.”

“...Of course, Commander. I will not update the records.”

He sits there in the dark as she becomes silent, curling around himself. “...She’s alive, Athena.”

“Pardon, Commander?”

“Ana. She’s...She’s alive.” He rubs at his face. “...I treated him like shit, and she’s alive.”

She doesn’t respond, letting him talk to himself, just as she used to.

“I lashed out at him. Shouted at him, avoided him even though I knew he needed me. I was hurting, and I hurt him because of it.” He takes a rough breath. “He never got to keep anyone, you know. He never talked about it, but it was one of his fears. He lost his family. He lost his friends. Lost everyone he cared about. It’s...it’s why he always was anxious. He always was waiting for another loss.” He digs his fingers into his arms again. “And what did I do? Blame him. Lash out at him. And then avoid him. All while he tried to come to terms with yet another loss.” He can feel tears start to fall down his face. “I’m surprised he didn’t kick me to the curb when I came crawling back after an injury. He should have. He should have. He deserved better.”

She still remains silent.

“My words were unnecessary, angry little things, and now look. He’s gone, and she...” He shakes. “She...”

He doesn’t move for hours.

-

Jack coughs as he pulls the bottle from his lips, looking at the empty container. “Fuck.” He tosses it in the trash, pulling out another bottle.

“...Strike Commander...” Athena starts.

“Don’t call me that.” He twists the bottle open, taking a swig.

“...Jack.”

“Don’t call me that either.”

She sighs. “...76.”

“What do you want.”

“I wish to once again remind you that you should not be drinking in your office,”

“Not an office anymore.” He tilts the bottle back again.

“That you should not be drinking,”

“Who cares.”

“And that you should not be alone during your depressive states.”

“Who am I gonna talk to, Athena? No one.”

“...With all due respect, if you would just let me show your survival-”

“No way in hell.”

“I promise you, you would be pleased with the result-”

“Athena.”

“Just let me-”

“No, Athena. That is a direct order.” He looks down at the bottle. “...For whatever that’s worth, now.”

She sighs again. “...You are far too stubborn for your own good.”

“Doesn’t matter.” He drinks more, adjusting how he’s lying on the dusty couch. “...’Thena?”

“Yes, Jack?”

“Hmph.”

“...Yes, 76?”

“...Play the audio file again.”

“Jack, this is not a good idea.”

“I don’t give a damn.” He tilts the bottle upside down. When had it gotten empty? He tosses it, grabbing a new one. “Let a dead man hear a ghost, would you?”

“Sir-”

“Command-”

“You don’t have to do that.” She sighs again, before the lights dim. “Initializing playback.”

He slams back the alcohol back in preparation.

_The sound of a door opening and closing plays, before footsteps. “...Jack?”_

_“...Hey, Gabe.”_

_More footsteps. “What’s wrong, Jackie? What are you doing here? I thought you were heading out today.”_

_“I was supposed to. But I wanted to see you.” A sigh. “...They’re calling for my head, Gabe. Mostly figuratively. There’s...files. Documents about your missions that I haven’t been allowed access to. Athena can’t even open them. Did you know that your medical records are locked away? Not even Angela has access.” Another sigh. “They’re locking data away, forging my signature- how much more can we take?” A pause. “...It’s killing me.”_

_“It has been for a while. You’re just noticing it now, but we both knew it.”_

_“What do we do?”_

_“We get out. Like the kids.”_

_“They’re missing, Gabriel-”_

_“No, I sent them away for their own safety. I agree with you, everything feels wrong. We need to leave.”_

_“We should take whatever information we can, go public, something. I can’t keep doing this anymore.”_

_“You don’t have to. We’ll leave. Today.”_

_“I’ll get files. Ath-”_

“Athena.”

The audio stops. “...Yes, Jack?”

“Play the audio again.” His voice cracks.

It starts once more, and he sighs, staring down into the bottle. That day’s been burned into his mind, but he wants to hear his voice. Remember what he’s lost.

Ana’s alive, and here, and whole. Welcomed back with open arms and tears. But he’s just a ghost.

“Athena, play it again.”

“Jack...”

“Again, Athena.”

What the hell is he doing here? He should have stayed back. Maybe getting him again would be enough for Talon, at least for a while. Buy them some time to figure out how to handle the organization.

He gets another bottle. “Again, Athena.”

Who is he kidding? He never should have been rescued in the first place. They would have killed him. He wouldn’t be a liability anymore. All he’ll ever do is get people hurt, or hurt people. They should have let him rot.

“...Jack?”

He startles, suddenly noticing the silence. “...Set it to loop, Athena.”

“...Of course, Jack.”

It starts again.

-

“...So.” Sombra feels out of place, folding her hands on the table. “All of us know what’s going on.”

“Hard not to.” Jesse crosses his arms.

Genji nods, visor and helmet set on the table.

“It’s almost obvious, when you think about it.” Lena adds. “Well, ‘cept for the whole sounding like a conspiracy theory, that kinda lowers it’s believability a bit.”

“Stay on topic, Lena.” Genji glances at her.

“Okay, so we all know. Now, what the hell are we gonna do about it?” Sombra sighs. “Genji, McCree.”

“Won’t even call me by my first name? I’m hurt.”

“She likes me better.”

“Can it.” She huffs. “You two know Gabriel. How do we handle this?”

“We can’t tell him.” Jesse’s tone is much more serious, now.

“Why not?”

“He does not believe what is too good to be true.” Genji turns his visor in his hands. “If we attempt to tell him, we will lose his trust. Not to mention any concern he may have about Talon involvement.”

Sombra blinks, confusion on her face. She turns to Lena. “What do you think?”

“We can’t tell him, either. He doesn’t trust anyone right now except for Ana. We can’t risk him shoving us away or we’ll never have a chance.”

Sombra blinks again. “...I feel like we’re having two separate conversations right now. What the fuck are you talking about?”

“Huh?”

“Gabe doesn’t know who Ana is. Not right now, at least. How does that effect anything?”

The three turn and look at each other.

“Will someone answer my damn question?”

“You do not know?” Genji looks over at her.

“...Know what?”

-

Moira sighs, rubbing at her temples. “Any luck?”

“Not with the hacking, no. I’m afraid Sombra has everything locked down at the Watchpoint. Not to mention the mess she’s made of our security.” Her assistant moves over to her desk, handing her a carrot.

“Thank you.” She smiles slightly, holding out the treat for the bunny resting on her desk. “She could use a treat. She’s been so stressed, with Akande shouting all the time.” She lightly scratches the bunny’s ears. “Poor dear...”

“Is she still doing alright?”

“Besides the elevated stress levels, yes. It’s within safe parameters, but that doesn’t make it okay.” She huffs. “If he doesn’t get himself together, I will deal with him.” She looks over. “Please tell me you have some kind of good news for me.”

“As a matter of fact...” She holds out a folder. “The results of your mystery blood came in.”

“That, is some good news.” Moira takes the folder, gently scooting the bunny out of the way. She sets down the papers, looking them over.

Her assistant watches. “...Is it the result you-”

“This is fantastic news! You’ve outdone yourself, this time.” She grins. “Do we have more samples?”

“I...yes. We do. May I ask what you would like done with them?”

“I want one sample to be exposed to experiment 15-C, one to be mixed with 27-A, and another to get two drops of 93-W.”

“Of course, Doctor. May I ask why the use of those resources?”

The grin on Moira’s face is downright dangerous. “I was right. The blood sample matches up with my old records for Jack Morrison. Give or take a few variables, but that’s to be expected with the circumstances.”

“The former Strike Commander? But he’s legally dead.”

“Legally, so is Gabriel Reyes, but that doesn’t stop him.” She practically giggles. “Oh, this is too much! The old lovers, in the same base, not even knowing about the other!” She claps her hands. “I wonder who will snap first, set off by these mannerisms that are so close, but just off! Will it be the dead man who’s being haunted by Talon’s ghost? Or the manipulated ghost who trusts nothing his eyes can see?” She returns to petting the bunny. “I must be prepared either way. Send those tests down, won’t you?”

“Of course, Doctor. Right away.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like my inner RvB nerd is showing, in Jack's scene. Don't worry, he won't turn out like the Director.  
> A note about that scene, however: It's lightly different from how that went down in the Prologue, for good reason. The scene in the Prologue is Gabe's memory of it. This is the recording that Athena made of it.  
> This chapter went differently than I expected it to, but that's fine. Moira decided to show her face, Sombra jumped into a scene a few chapters early (hence her confusion), and Athena just wishes she could tell the two fools that they're having breakdowns in the same damn hallway.  
> More soon :3


	14. Chapter Thirteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just wanted to let you all know that there have been some additions to the series! There are going to be other parts added, many which don't have to do directly with Jack and Gabriel, but that are important to the story. I hope you guys like those as well!  
> Here's hoping that I can get an update out a bit sooner than the end of may, next time. I've got out till chapter 20 roughed for now, and let me tell you.  
> The Moment. Is coming.

“...So...” Gerard shifts slightly on the sofa. “...How’ve you been?”

Gabriel doesn’t even look up at him from his spot on the floor, arms wrapped around his knees. “...Two of my closest friends have come back from the dead, and I’m still trying to put together pieces of my past that are missing. How do you think I’m doing?”

“Right. I...should have guessed.” He tugs at the edge of his scarf, before he sighs. “...Reyes.”

He looks up.

“...You wanted to know what happened, yes?”

“Yeah.” He uncurls slightly.

“When...” He runs a hand through his hair. “When she attacked me, we were in our room. I had been sleeping, but woke when she got up. I...suppose the original plan was to kill me in my sleep.” He closes his eyes. “We...fought. I did what I could, but it’s...hard to win a fight against someone you’re unwilling to kill, when they’re willing to kill you. She stabbed me, poisoned me, then shot me in the back and left me for dead.”

“Gerard...”

“I was too far from base, so I had to rush over to a nearby hospital. Small place...Don’t remember its name.”

Gabriel leans forward. “...They helped you?”

“As much as they could.” He looks down at his hands. “By the time I got there I moved, and...suddenly I just...couldn’t. They told me that the bullet had finally worked its way through my spine.”

“But you can move now. Did they-”

“They didn’t have what Angela has.” He slowly pulls up his sleeves. “So...they did what they could.”

His eyes widen in shock. “Gerard. I...”

Several wires make their way down Gerard’s arms, connecting into a metal cuff at his wrist. A small flat segment rests at the front of his wrist, sunken into the flesh. A longer one does the same on the back of his wrist. His hand twitches and shakes as he tries to hold it steady. “Both arms, and my legs. It...was what they could think of to do.” He takes a few airy breaths. “Bypass the problem once I healed up. Spine recovered. The nerves didn’t.”

“Dios Mio...”

“The poison didn’t help matters. It was a newer version of Talon’s current airborne neurotoxin, a deadly soup of nerve agent, tranquilizers, and good old fashioned poison. I had to breathe on a machine for months. ...Still do, technically.”

“What are you talking about?” Gabriel’s not sure when he started shaking.

“Like I said before...” Gerard pulls off his scarf, dropping it to the floor before slipping off his coat. A metal tube wraps around behind his neck, moving down and connecting to two plates in his chest. On the back of the tube, under Gerard’s hair, there’s a small connection that leads down to a metal machine on his back. At the front of his throat there’s another metal plate, this one more oval, and ridged. The wires from his arms make their way up to connect into it. An identical plate on the back of his throat connects to the wires from his legs. “...They did what they could.”

“Is that...”

“A breathing machine, yes. My lungs were worn too thin in places, for me to be able to breathe too much on my own. They were worried that too sharp of a breath would just rip the muscle in two.” He slowly looks over at Gabriel. “...I...can swap it out for an air tank, when I need to, but I prefer to run with this. I’m supposed to use a mask as well, instead of just pumping it directly into my lungs, but when I’m not on the run I can manage this.” He has to take a shallow breath. “I can’t talk with the mask on.”

He slowly reaches out a hand. “...You need to speak to Angela.”

“And what can she do? My nerves are broken, and my lungs are thin. What can she do this late?”

“Muscle regeneration and regrowth are her specialty. You don’t have to, but...please consider it.”

He sighs, before he takes his hand and nods. “...Alright.” He’s quiet for a few moments.”...I was still stuck in bed when I heard the news. I saw the collapse on TV. Hearing about you...”

“Death due to injuries and smoke inhalation.”

“...And Jack.”

“...Death due to traumatic burns and a multistory fall.”

“I didn’t know what to do. I dug up more information on Talon. Snuck around wherever I went. Ran into your son, eventually, though he didn’t realize it at first. I eventually made contact with him, and we worked together for a bit. He went to the Recall soon after, and...” He sighs again. “...And that’s all I’ve got, Gabriel.”

“...Thank you, Gerard. For telling me, and...for getting me out of there.”

“No worries. You know I don’t like to leave debts hanging.” He smiles faintly, before it falls. “...You’re welcome, Reyes.”

-

Jack doesnt know what he expected to see when he walked outside, but a Bastion unit sitting in the middle of the garden, holding a potted tree, with a bird on its head, isn’t anywhere on even the strangest list he can think of.

He’s alarmed at first, of course. He remembers the Crisis vividly, after all. He’d been sure that all the units had been shut down, how had this one slipped through the cracks? Why is it here? Why doesn’t he have his gun? He can’t take on a Bastion unit with his bare hands, it’ll shred him apart before he even gets a chance to get near it, there’s no cover to try to deal with it from range-

He stumbles and falls back, scrambling backwards, but he freezes when the unit turns and ‘looks’ at him. He’s going to die. All this time, all this fighting, everything he’s done was for nothing. His fate’s catching up with him. Why did he think this wouldn’t happen, of course the universe would do this to him. Or is this all just his imagination?

He can’t see. He can’t see- he smells smoke, blood, charred wounds of the fallen- he hears shouting but it’s distant, muffled, indistinct. A sniper rifle, shotguns? A building’s falling, or- it already fell, it must have- there’s blood dripping down his face from a head wound, and he can’t move- did it catch him in the legs or the torso? He can’t remember, why can’t he remember-

It must be his imagination, the thought that he’d actually live through this. You can’t defeat that which doesn’t sleep, doesn’t rest, doesn’t need to do anything to survive. They make more faster than humans can get new soldiers, they fight harder than even the SEP could have hoped for.

He must be dying.

“Bastion!”

He knows, he knows- he can’t move. They must have had to leave him behind, he doesn’t hear her rifle. The shotguns are gone. Why can’t he hear them?

“Bastion, wait!”

Oh God, it’s going to shred his torso. He’s seen it happen, the images are burned into his eyes. There’ll be nothing of him left. Hysterical laughter falls from his lips. It’s not like there’s anyone left for them to ship him back to.

“Dammit- Commander! Can you hear me?”

Someone’s shaking him- why can’t he see? He’s gasping, why can’t he breathe?”

“Morrison!”

He recoils, as everything abruptly comes into focus. He’s shaking. Why can’t he stop shaking?

Genji’s crouched in front of him, faceplate removed. One hand rests on Jack’s shoulder, the other on Jack’s chest. “Breathe, Morrison.”

“The Bastion-” Jack wheezes, brain foggy.

“I know. They are nearby.”

“Genji-”

“They are not aggressive. They do not wish to harm.”

That’s it. Genji must have finally snapped. There’s no way that he could be saying such impossible things.

A set of beeps and chirps sound behind him.

“Bastion! Stay sitting down, please!” He looks back at the omnic. “He has had something similar to what Ganymede helps you with.”

Another set of beeps comes from the unit.

Genji turns back around. “They will not hurt you. They just like plants. Torbjorn brought them here to keep them safe.”

“...Torb? He...” His head hurts. Why does he feel so sick?

“Yes. Here, Commander, may I pick you up? You need to recover from your attack.”

“I...Sure.” He winces as he’s picked up, zoning out as they move. He closes his eyes.

He’d thought of Reyes. He thought he was dying, and his first thought was of Reyes. Of course. God, he needs to let go, for his own sanity. He can’t, and he knows he can’t, but he knows he should.

He finally zones back in when he realizes he’s hearing a conversation.

“...And how long ago did this happen?”

“About forty five minutes. It took me almost thirty to get him to respond to me.”

He’s on a bed, he realizes. His visor is off, but his mask is on. His jacket has been removed, and a blue coat has been draped over him like a blanket.

“I understand. Thank you for bringing him here, Genji.”

His brain finally catches up. “...Ana.”

“Jack.”

He grunts. God, his head hurts. He feels sick. He’s so tired.

“Heard you had some trouble, today.”

“Fuck off, Amari.” He doesn’t even have the energy to hide the emotion in his voice. “You know what it was like.”

“I stayed much further away, on average, than you did. But...yes. I know.”

“You’re a fucking sniper. Of course you were farther away.” He shivers, curling slightly on his side. “...Fuck.”

“...Genji,” Ana speaks again. “Thank you again for bringing him to me. I think he will need some time to recover. I’ll take it from here.”

“Of course. Let me know how he is doing later?”

“Of course.”

“Thank you.” Genji stands. “Rest well, Morrison.”

Jack’s quiet until he hears the door close. “...Great. Fun.”

“Don’t. Jack, do not feel embarrassed or guilty.”

“Fucking stupid-”

“Jack.” Ana rests a hand on his shoulder.

“...I thought about him, Ana.” He slowly opens his eyes, wincing. “...Thought I was gonna die, and...”

“...Which time?”

“The time in Germany. When the entrance caved in, and I was bleeding out alone in a storeroom.”

“...I’m sorry, Jack.”

He grunts gain. “...I don’t want to think about this, anymore.”

-

“Will you two just tell me what the fuck is going on?” Sombra huffs, pulling at her hair.

“You seriously don’t know?” Lena blinks, watching her. “But it’s so obvious!”

“To us, Lena. But we worked with him, remember?” Jesse adjusts his hat.

“I’m about to beat you over the head if you don’t fucking answer me!”

“It’s about Soldier 76.” He rests a hand on her shoulder. “We know who he is. We thought you did too.”

“No, I looked everywhere, though every archive I could find.”

“Som. Come on. You work with Gabe, for Christ’s sake. You find Ana alongside some random military guy, and you don’t put the pieces together?”

She stares at him, before her eyes widen and glow a deeper purple. “You can’t be serious. There’s no way!”

“It’s true.” Lena nods.

“How?? No one could survive the kinds of things that were reported!”

“He didn’t fall, for starters. Got out of there and took off, I assume.” She shrugs. “The details don’t really matter.”

“But this is big! If Gabe’s here, and Jack’s alive, we can reunite them! They’ve been in pain for years, they need this!”

“That’s the hard part.” Jesse starts to pace, but he stills when the door opens.

“Sorry I am late.” Genji enters quickly, closing the door behind him. “Morrison met Bastion.”

“Oh shit.”

“Are they both okay?”

“They are both fine. ...Ish. Morrison is recovering with Ana.” He stretches his arms. “What are we talking about?””

“How to tell the two of them that they’re alive.” Sombra crosses her arms.

“They told you while I was gone? Now I’m disappointed.”

“Shut up. Do you have an idea, or not?”

“I think I do.”

-

“How are you feeling, Doctor?” Her assistant speaks quietly, as she enters the room.

“I am ten minutes of shouting away from killing Akande and everyone else in this building.” Moira grumbles, rubbing at her temples.

“Migrains again?”

“Yes.”

“Do you want me to-”

“No. Thank you, but no. They’re refusing to take me seriously.” She sighs. “‘You can’t even control those in your grasp’, as if that means I don’t deserve respect or basic human decency.”

“So he continues to be unreasonable.”

“Yes.” She turns, looking up at her. “Have you had any luck with the samples?”

“Sample 93W caused it to react as if it was being scalded or burned. Sample 27A refused to mix. Sample 15C caused a minor reaction, but not enough to be interesting.”

“Unfortunate. Do you think I could get away with killing Akande?”

“No. What tests should we run next?”

“Mix half of what remains with Sample 7R, the other half with Sample 132DM.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. What if I kill all his associates?”

“I’m one of those associates. No.”

“I obviously didn’t mean you-”

“No.”

“Hmmph. Fine. Get back to work.”

-

Angela’s anxious.

She can’t really help it, she’s pretty sure she’s been anxious for the past fifteen years. She’s constantly working, avoiding sleep for as long as she can manage. She’s sure that if it were medically possible to replace blood with coffee, she would have done so years ago.

It’s worse now. There’s no missions going on, no one is hurt. The lack of injuries is a good thing. The lack of work to do is not.

She sighs softly, rubbing at her eyes as she hears the door open. “Come in.”

“Doctor Ziegler.” Zenyatta’s voice is calm, as he floats into the room with a tray of breakfast food.

“...Is it time to eat already?” She looks away. “...I didn’t notice.”

“I know. That is why I’ve taken to making sure that you do, after all.” He sets the tray on her desk, tilting his head slightly. “Are you alright?”

“...No.” She rubs at her face again. “...I don’t know if I ever will be again.”

“What’s wrong?” He floats nearby, resting a hand on her shoulder. “...Is it Moira?”

“This is all my fault!” She takes a breath to hold back tears. It’s been over seventy two hours since she last slept, and her walls are crumbling. “Everything that’s happened, it’s all my fault...”

“That’s not true. Do not take blame for someone else’s actions. You did not control her, even when you two worked together.”

“Gabriel is my fault!”

“No. You gave him another chance, but what he became was never because of you.”

“It was! Everything that Moira’s done, all the people she’s hurt, everyone she’s killed, it’s all my fault!” She slams her fists onto her desk, almost spilling her coffee.

Zenyatta rests both hands on her shoulders. “Angela.” His tone is quiet. “Why do you feel this way? Surely you know that the only actions you are responsible for are your own.”

“Because Gabriel Reyes wasn’t the first person I ever brought back to life.” Tears are falling down her face, as she looks at Zenyatta. “He was the second.”

“...Oh.” He’s quiet for a bit. “...Angela, I’m so sorry...”

She finally bursts into tears, hugging him tightly as she sobs.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A Reveal is made :3c


	15. Chapter Fourteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter had a lot of changes. Hopefully it reads okay.

Gabriel needs to know.

He knows he does. He needs to know what happened in the past, what he can’t remember. He decides on Sombra’s room as his place of research. It’s likely the most secure room on base. Or...one of them, at least.

He asks Sombra to help him. While he doesn’t need her help to get into his own files, he knows he needs...the emotional support. He’d have asked Gerard as well, but with the man always running off on his own self decided ‘missions’, he doesn’t exactly have the option.

“Guess it’s just the two of us, huh?” Sombra looks over at him. “...Are you sure you want to open these, Gabe?”

“They’re  **my** files. I might as know what the hell they are.”

She’s quiet for a bit, watching him settle on his beanbag. “...Okay. Opening files...now.” She taps a few of her holo-keys, before she looks at him. “Which one to start?”

“Might as well start with the earliest. Password’s-”

“7-3-2-7-3-7, I know.” She smirks. “You’re not subtle. How has no one realized who you are?”

“First of all, I took my codename literally because I wanted those close to me to know who I am. Secondly, I wasn’t ‘Reaper’ before now, so no one had any hint at my password. Third of all, shut the fuck up and open it already.”

She chuckles and opens the file. “Yeah yeah, hold your horses.”

The holoscreen lights up in front of them, Gabriel’s face coming into view.

He panics, slamming his hands on the keys, pausing it.

She looks over at him, quickly. “Gabe?”

“...” He can’t help but stare. “...It’s been...A long time.”

She blinks, confused, before her eyes widen. “...Oh. You don’t look different because you’re hurt. You...look different because you forgot what you look like.”

His eyes are wrong: red and black, several smaller ones surrounding his left eye today. His face is ashen, facial hair too dense, bruises under his eyes and along his cheekbones.

“We can stop, if you-”

“Just...give me a minute.”

It takes him almost ten minutes, but his face is closer to how it had been. His eyes are back to two, and brown. His facial hair is closer, but still not quite right. The bruises are gone. But the ashen skin remains.

“...You could talk to her about that, you know. She’ll help you.”

“...It’s unimportant.”

“No, it isn’t-”

“Sombra. Drop it.”

She sighs, shaking her head slightly.

“Play the file.”

She taps a few keys.

_ The Gabriel on the screen looks amused. Recorded in his office, from what can be seen of the background. Nothing broken, no injuries, so before a mission it seems like. “Well, I know I haven’t had much to document for the last while, but that’s because everything else is either classified, which means documented somewhere else, or Jack’s problem, which also means documented somewhere else. Future me’s gonna hate that, but that’s a problem for him to deal with.” _

His voice isn’t right, anymore. God, has it really been so long since he heard his own voice that he...forgot that too? What else has he forgotten?

_ “Buuut, we got a new team member. Not like the kids, either. Joining of her own volition, which is a refreshing change of pace. Pretty sure if we had people join in any shadier ways, I would literally disappear.” _

He was so happy, at the time. So pleased that they were finally following rules. What a fucking fool. Rules were never safe, for him. He should have known.

_ He smirks at the camera. “She’s some kinda doctor, I think Jack said. He seemed kinda unsettled by her, but I gotta admit, she definitely gets results. I’ll do my best to keep an eye on her, make sure that it’s all on the up and up. But having our own in squad doc? That’s gonna take tons of pressure off of Angie. She’ll probably be pretty happy she’s here. Maybe now, the kid can finally take a breather, I swear, she’s gonna work herself half to death someday.” _

He’s so stupid. Keep an eye out, and he saw nothing. Did he really see nothing? Or did she trick him? Was he corrupt? Can he even be trusted? Can he trust-

_ “Anyway, I better go check in with her. She should be landing in a few minutes, and I don’t want to be late. She seems pretty punctual. Maybe we’ll get along.” _

Gabriel can’t take anymore. He reaches out and slams his hands on the keyboard, closing the file entirely. He’s shaking.

Sombra startles. “Shit-” She’s almost instantly up and at his side. “Are you okay?”

He hunches over, wrapping his arms around his knees. How could he not have known? She’d been off since they met, and he’d done nothing...

“Gabe?”

He looks up at her. “...I should have known.”

“I should have known not to play this for you, not with next month coming up.” She sits next to him, wrapping an arm over his shoulders. “...Do you want some tea?”

“Lemon.” He looks away.

“Gabriel...”

“Please.” He pretends that his voice didn’t just sound strained.

She sighs, slowly pushing herself to her feet and leaving the room.

-

Jack grumbles as he wakes, pressing at his face. He slowly sits up, looking around the room.

He’s still in his old office, but it looks...different. It takes him a few more moments to realize why: The empty booze bottles are gone.

He grunts once, reaching for a half filled bottle on the floor. He brings it to his lips for a sip.

There’s a knock on the door, before it opens.

He startles badly, dropping the bottle to the floor and scrambling for his mask.

The door clicks shut. There’s a tired, long suffering sigh. “Jack.”

He tenses, mask halfway to his face. He slowly looks over. “...Wilhelm.”

Reinhardt smiles at him, sadly. “Are we not on first name terms, anymore?”

He lets his mask fall to the floor, grimacing when it lands in the puddle of whiskey. He sighs. “...Ana send you, then?” He looks away, rubbing at his temples.

“No. I sent myself.” He takes a few steps closer. “It wasn’t hard to realize what you were doing.”

“Save it. I don’t need, or want, your concern.”

“I know you don’t. That’s why I’m here.”

He blinks slowly, looking over at him. “...Huh?”

“You don’t want help. That’s why I’m here. Because you need it.”

“I’m not your charity case, Wilhelm.”

“No, you’re not. You’re my friend. And I don’t want to have us lose you.”

He huffs. “We’re  **soldiers** . I’m gonna-”

Reinhardt rests a hand on his shoulder. “That is not what I meant. I meant the drinking, Jack.”

He’s quiet for a bit. “...I have my reasons.”

“I know. I am...familiar, with them.” He looks over at him as he sits next to him on the couch. “...Do you remember when you first met me? How I used to make jokes about why I drank more beer than water?”

“You used to say your German beer tasted better than our filtered water.”

“Yes. I was lying. Attempting to cover up a problem with a joke. But someone caught me.”

Jack closes his eyes. “...Gabriel.”

“He confronted me. Do you know why I joined Overwatch, Jack?”

“Yes.”

“It was his death I was mourning. Wondering what would have changed. Hoping that if it was a little bit easier to get through the day, maybe I could do half of what he did. Being with all of you helped me. By the end of the Crisis, with Ana’s help, I had stopped drinking.”

He opens his eyes, looking over. “...You started, again. After Ana.”

“...For a bit. McCree set me straight, though I doubt he remembers it.”

“...How did you know I was here?” He changes the subject, uncomfortable with thinking about the implications.

“I noticed your office was getting a lot of use. Athena wouldn’t, couldn’t, tell me. So I used my codes.” He makes a face. “I don’t like doing that, but it was the only option I was left with.”

“Codes?”

“...” He sighs. “...After Zurich fell. I...was the fourth in line to take over your position. You, Ana, Gabriel, and myself. And I was the last one left.” He looks off. “We were all grieving, and I had to try to pick up the pieces.” He’s quiet for a bit. “...Attempt to contact last of kin.”

“...Oh.” Jack closes his eyes. “...Well, guess you know, then.”

“We’re still here, Jack. We’re still your family.”

“I know. And that’s why I can’t be. It will only put you all in more danger. I’m keeping secret for a reason.”

“You’re keeping secret because you want to die, Jack.” Reinhardt’s tone is a bit more sharp.

Jack blinks, looking over at him.

“...I do not mean to sound harsh. But it is the truth.”

“...You’re not wrong.” He sighs, running a hand through his hair.

“I know you are scared. But you don’t have to be alone. Not anymore.” He pulls Jack into his arms.

Jack barely keeps from trembling. “...”

“...He wouldn’t want to have done this to you.”

He feels a string he’s held tight for years, since the explosion, since he’s lost everything, suddenly  **snap** . He collapses against Reinhardt.

“We are here for you.” Reinhardt holds him close. “We are here for you, Jack...”

-

Angela is about to regret even speaking, she can already tell.

She’s pushed through her crying, and her breaths have calmed somewhat. She knows what’s coming.

Zenyatta gently runs his fingers through her hair. “...If I may ask...”

She slowly sits up, pulling a bit away from him as she rubs at her face. “...We were working together, doing research, before...Before I joined with Overwatch. I was trying to work on the Caduceus, mainly the wings and my staff, at that point. She...had been working on genetic mutation, and attempting to develop a strong healing spray/salve. The amount of good that could have done for the world...”

“Easy...” He rests a hand on her shoulder.

“We were...close. But she was too driven, at times. Her empathy, even then, was slim. The greater good was more important, always.” She quiets, looking down at her hands. “...Almost always.”

“...Did she ever-”

“No. Not on me. ...Though I’d be lying if I said I didn’t use some of her research.”

“...You got self experimentation from her, then.”

“Do not credit her with what she doesn’t deserve.” She speaks with disgust. “It is illegal to do certain tests on others. It is not illegal to do those tests on yourself. We followed the same book. That does not make us the same.”

“I...did not mean to imply...”

She calms, slumping slightly forward. “I know. ...I know.” She lets out a soft breath. “...She had been doing tests on herself for a while. One day...” She rubs at her eyes. “...She went too far. I tried, but...”

“...” He gently takes her hands. “I’m here.”

“I panicked. There had to be something I could do. I tore through her research, and mine, looking for an answer. And I found one. ...Two.” She looks up at him. “I had been coming up with a series of nano machines, designed to be administered after muscle loss, so that they could take a patient’s genetic code and rebuild new muscle, perhaps in the future even bone. Meanwhile, she had started development of a serum that was supposed to push the body’s own electrical signals to cause function enough that even dormant nerves could be revived. I...” She pulls her hands away, rubbing at her eyes again. “I combined the two.”

“And it worked?”

“I tested it on myself, first. You tell me.”

“...Oh. That’s why you...haven’t changed.”

“...I will discuss that at a later time. But I...used those both to revive her. She was...the happiest I ever saw her.” She’s quiet for a bit. “...But after that...she changed. I don’t know if it was a side effect of her self experimentation, if I was just too late, or if she had pretended the whole time, but...her empathy was gone. We parted ways shortly after.”

“...I’m so sorry, Angela.”

“I was young, and stupid. It never meant as much to her as it did to me.” She takes a rough breath. “...I never knew she would go this far. If I had known...” She covers her mouth. “If only I had known...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry that it took me so long to update.  
> I've...been going through a very low point of my depression, and started to doubt my writing. And every day that I didn't write the next chapter only made it worse. Combined with outside troubles, family health concerns, and work scares, it's been a difficult few months. But hopefully, I can start writing more again. I've missed writing this story, and I've missed being able to share it with all of you.  
> Thank you for being patient with me.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you all enjoy this path we're going down. The amount of feedback is amazing, and I feel so humbled that so many people keep coming back for more.  
> I hope that you'll all like the fic. I think it'll be fun!
> 
> This is being cross-posted on my Tumblr at confusedfanunit.tumblr.com so if you see it on Tumblr, under that URL, it is on purpose. If you want to ask any questions, or scream about your favourite part, feel free to do so in my askbox :D


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